Explainer: What is Trump's "Board of Peace"

WASHINGTON/GAZA, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced the creation of the Board of Peace for Gaza as the Gaza peace deal reached in October enters its second phase, which focuses on full demilitarization and reconstruction.

Over the past few days, a number of world leaders have reportedly received invitations to join the Trump-proposed board. However, a charter of the board -- reportedly attached to the invitation letters and obtained by multiple media outlets -- makes no reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines a broader vision for the body as a U.S.-controlled organization aimed to help resolve conflicts and wars worldwide, a role the United Nations has played for decades.

IS THE BOARD LIMITED TO GAZA?

Trump previously proposed the establishment of the Board of Peace as part of a 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip. Under the ceasefire deal reached in October, the board is meant to support stability, governance, demilitarization and reconstruction in Gaza during the plan's second phase.

The newly released charter makes no mention of Gaza. Instead, it describes the board as "an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict."

According to The Times of Israel, a mandate of the board was approved by the UN Security Council in November and is limited to Gaza and only until the end of 2027. The newspaper published and verified the full text of the board's chapter over the weekend.

WHAT ROLE WOULD TRUMP PLAY?

The charter grants sweeping authority to Trump, who would serve as the inaugural chairman of the Board of Peace and also act as the U.S. representative. Membership would be by invitation of the chairman, who would hold key authority over terms, renewals and removals.

While decisions would be made by a majority vote of member states, all outcomes would require the chairman's approval. The chairman may cast a tie-breaking vote and has exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary entities, designate a successor, and serve as the final authority regarding the meaning, interpretation and application of the charter.

The Board of Peace will have an official seal, subject to the chairman's approval.

To carry out the board's vision, an executive committee has been formed, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, among others, the White House said Friday in a statement.

Each member will oversee a portfolio covering governance, diplomacy and reconstruction, the statement added.

However, Israel on Saturday objected that the committee "was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy," without specifying the points of disagreement.

HOW WOULD MEMBERSHIP BE STRUCTURED?

The charter would enter into force upon expression of consent to be bound by three states, according to the published text of the charter.

Member states shall serve terms of no more than three years, though countries contributing more than 1 billion U.S. dollars within the first year of the charter's entry into force would secure permanent membership.

Each member state would have one vote, but all decisions would still require the chairman's approval. States may withdraw at any time and can be removed by the chairman unless two-thirds of the members veto the move.

The charter does not clearly specify how the funds would be used. It merely states that financing will come from "voluntary funding."

Hungary and Vietnam have accepted invitations to join the board, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing their respective foreign ministries.

Invitations have been addressed to some 60 nations, Reuters reported, citing diplomats.

GLOBAL RESPONSE TO THE BOARD

Trump's Board of Peace is taking shape with ambitions to have a far broader mandate of global crises, potentially rivaling the United Nations in what would be a major upheaval to the post-World War II international order, an AP report commented on Saturday.

"It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," Reuters quoted one diplomat as saying. Three other Western diplomats said it appeared likely to undermine the United Nations if it went ahead.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Guterres "believes Member States are free to associate in different groups" in response to a question about the draft U.S. charter for a Board of Peace.

"The United Nations will continue with its mandated work," deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

The Islamic Jihad Movement said on Saturday it opposed the "Board of Peace," arguing it aligns with Israeli interests and threatens the implementation of a ceasefire.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the "Board of Peace," along with a Palestinian technocratic committee announced earlier last week in Cairo by Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, is part of a U.S. plan to end the conflict. He said Palestinian internal affairs must remain "in the hands of an independent Palestinian body" and reiterated Hamas's commitment to preventing renewed fighting and facilitating reconstruction.

"The Board of Peace is emerging within an international framework focused on crisis management rather than addressing core issues such as ending the occupation and guaranteeing Palestinian rights," Gaza-based political analyst Ahed Ferwana said.

He added that the absence of guarantees for a permanent ceasefire continues to fuel Palestinian mistrust and cast doubt on the council's ability to gain public confidence.

Questions have also been raised about funding and transparency. Analysts note that the charter offers few details on how funds would be used. A commentary by The Atlantic suggested this lack of clarity could leave interested world leaders wondering where, exactly, their money would go.

Finally, the cost and structure of membership have drawn scrutiny. Media reports noted that, beyond hefty financial contributions for permanent membership, the charter grants the chairman broad discretion over invitations and renewals, reinforcing critics' concerns over concentrated authority and limited oversight. Enditem