Key Takeaways:
- The White House has announced the formation of a "Board of Peace" to oversee a 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza.
- Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, and other notable figures have been named as executive members of the board.
- The board will focus on governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, and capital mobilization in Gaza.
- A Gaza Executive Board has also been established to support governance and services in the region.
- The appointment of Blair and Kushner has been met with criticism due to their past support for Israel and perceived biases against Palestinians.
Introduction to the Board of Peace
The White House has announced the formation of a "Board of Peace" to oversee a 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza. The board will be responsible for implementing the plan, which aims to bring stability and long-term success to the region. The board’s executive members include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Jared Kushner, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Other members include Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel, a US deputy national security adviser.
The Role of the Board of Peace
The Board of Peace will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success. This includes governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization. The board will work closely with the Gaza Executive Board, which will support governance and services in the region. The Gaza Executive Board will be responsible for handling day-to-day governance in Gaza, in lieu of Hamas. The board’s members include Blair, Kushner, Witkoff, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi, among others.
The Gaza Executive Board and Its Members
The Gaza Executive Board will support the Office of the High Representative and a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), headed by Ali Shaath. Shaath is a former Deputy Minister of Transportation for the Palestinian Authority and is expected to handle day-to-day governance in Gaza. The board’s members will work together to implement the 20-point plan and bring stability to the region. However, the appointment of Blair and Kushner has been met with criticism due to their past support for Israel and perceived biases against Palestinians.
Criticism and Controversy
The appointment of Blair and Kushner has been met with criticism from many quarters. Ashish Prashar, who worked as an aide to Blair between 2010 and 2012, called for rejecting international trusteeship over Gaza, stating that "the future of Palestine should only be decided by Palestinians." Prashar also criticized the board’s members, saying that "the only qualification for joining the Gaza ‘peace board’ is to have a strong track record of endorsing (and arming) Israel’s project of genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing, and criminalising those who oppose it." The criticism highlights the challenges that the board will face in implementing the 20-point plan and bringing stability to the region.
The Way Forward
Despite the criticism, the White House has announced that the board will move forward with its plans to implement the 20-point plan. The board’s members will work together to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza and bring stability to the region. The appointment of Nickolay Mladenov as the High Representative for Gaza is seen as a positive step, as it brings a UN component to the board. Mladenov’s experience as the UN’s top envoy to the region from 2015-2020 will be invaluable in implementing the plan. However, the board will need to address the concerns of Palestinians and the international community to ensure that the plan is successful.
Conclusion
The formation of the Board of Peace is a significant step towards bringing stability to Gaza. However, the board’s success will depend on its ability to address the concerns of Palestinians and the international community. The appointment of Blair and Kushner has been met with criticism, and the board will need to work hard to establish its credibility. The board’s members will need to work together to implement the 20-point plan and bring stability to the region. The international community will be watching closely to see if the board can deliver on its promises and bring peace to Gaza.
