Trump centralizes Gaza control, pressures allies for billions, while Israel rejects foreign-engineered peace empowering Arab actors.
The Trump administration is seeking at least $1 billion from countries hoping to secure long-term seats on a newly proposed Board of Peace, a body designed to oversee conflict zones such as Gaza, according to a draft charter circulating among governments.
Under the draft, U.S. President Donald Trump would serve as the board’s inaugural chairman, personally deciding which countries are invited to join. Although decisions would be taken by majority vote, every resolution would still require the chairman’s approval, granting Trump sweeping authority over policy, funding, and membership.
The charter states that member states normally serve three-year terms, but this limit would not apply to countries contributing more than $1 billion in cash within the first year — effectively allowing wealthy states to buy permanent influence. The organization would formally come into existence once just three countries sign on.
Trump would also control the board’s agenda, meeting schedule, official seal, and leadership succession, while retaining the power to remove any member unless blocked by a two-thirds majority. Critics describe the structure as highly centralized, with Trump exercising near-total control over funds and decision-making.
Ahead of the full board’s creation, Trump announced an initial executive panel that includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair.
Several world leaders — including Javier Milei and Mark Carney — have reportedly been invited to participate in the Gaza-focused arm of the initiative, while multiple European governments are said to be resisting the draft, objecting to Trump’s personal control over funds and governance.
Israel has already signaled strong opposition. The Prime Minister’s Office said the Gaza Peace Council was announced without coordination with Israel and directly contradicts Israeli policy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to formally raise Israel’s objections with Washington.
Israeli officials warn that any peace or reconstruction framework that sidelines Israel while empowering foreign actors — especially Arab states that failed to dismantle Hamas — risks repeating decades of diplomatic failure, undermining Israeli security, and rewarding terror under the banner of “peace.”
