What is Trump's 'Board of Peace' and who will govern Gaza?
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Faisal Edroos
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Mon, 01/19/2026 - 08:20
A potential US-led alternative to the United Nations, the board and the bodies that operate under it sideline Palestinians and empower pro-Israel figures
US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on 20 January 2025 (AFP)
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US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" initiative could rival the United Nations and mediate in other global conflicts, according to a copy of its charter seen by Middle East Eye.
The body was originally conceived as part of Trump's push to create a new governance framework for the war-battered Gaza Strip in the wake of Israel's two-year genocidal war.
But the text of its charter, which fails to mention the Palestinian enclave, calls for a "more nimble and effective international peace-building body", suggesting its scope could be far broader.
"The Board of Peace is an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter says.
"Durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed," it adds.
The charter gives Trump wide-ranging powers as chair of the Board of Peace, allowing him to appoint as well as remove member states - a decision that can only be overturned by a two-thirds majority of members.
Countries that join the board will serve a limited three-year term unless they contribute over $1bn within the first year of its operations, the charter says.
Since it was unveiled, several heads of state and government have been invited to join, with sources telling MEE that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was first among them.
On 18 January, Egypt, India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were among dozens of countries to say they were invited and have since said they are deliberating the matter.
As of 19 January, however, it remained unclear whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also invited.
What is the founding executive board for Gaza?
Sitting below the Board of Peace in the hierarchical structure is the "founding executive board" for Gaza.
The White House unveiled the founding executive board on 16 January, a body it claimed would steer the next phase of governance and reconstruction in the war-ravaged territory.
The White House said the seven-strong founding executive board was made up of individuals who have "experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy".
It said that each member of the board was expected to be in charge of a portfolio that would be "critical to Gaza's stabilisation", including "governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation".
As of 19 January, however, it remained unclear who would be responsible for which priorities.
In its statement, the White House also announced the appointment of two controversial senior advisers who would report to the board and oversee "day-to-day strategy and operations".
It also named a High Representative for Gaza, announced the members of a separate Gaza Executive Board, and also announced the commander of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) - a body whose makeup has, for months, been shrouded in uncertainty.
The announcements immediately attracted criticism from Palestinian analysts and rights groups who highlighted that none of its senior members are Palestinian and nearly all of the men were closely aligned with Israel.
There was no immediate response from Hamas, which has previously said it was ready to abandon its governing duties in the enclave as outlined under Trump's October plan.
However, Islamic Jihad - the second-largest group in Gaza - criticised the composition of the board, saying the appointments "came in line with Israeli specifications" and serve Israeli interests.
Who are the seven members of the founding executive board?
Marco Rubio speaks during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 16 July 2024 (Patrick T Fallon/AFP)
Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was listed as the first member of the founding executive board.
A long-standing supporter of Israel, Rubio has repeatedly opposed conditioning US military aid to the country.
As a senator, Rubio sponsored the Combating BDS Act to counter the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel, arguing that boycotts and sanctions were unfairly singling out Israel and undermining its security and diplomatic standing.
In the aftermath of the 7 October attacks, he repeatedly backed Israel's assaults on Gaza, framing the war as crucial for Israel's security.
He repeatedly argued that Hamas must be "eradicated" and rejected international investigations into the Israeli military's conduct.
Since being appointed as secretary of state, Rubio has reaffirmed this stance, but praised the first phase of the ceasefire deal as the "best" and "only" plan.
Jared Kushner
Jared Kushner looks on during a press conference at the Coalition of the Willing summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 6 January 2026 (Ludovic Marin/AFP)
Jared Kushner, the US president's son-in-law, gained international prominence in 2020 as one of the architects of the widely derided ‘Deal of the Century’ plan.
Despite having no prior experience in government policy or international relations, the controversial plan supported annexing large parts of the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley in exchange for recognising a disjointed Palestinian state with no control over its borders or airspace.
Kushner lashed out at the Palestinians when they rejected the plan, calling them "foolish" and even advising them to "take a cold shower" and take a closer look at it.
Last year, Trump's widely discredited plan to forcibly displace Palestinians and turn Gaza into a US-owned "riviera" echoed almost word-for-word Kushner's previously stated plans for the enclave.
At a talk at Harvard University in 2024, Kushner first floated the idea, saying he would "do my best to move the people out and then clean it up".
"Gaza's waterfront property could be very valuable... if people would focus on building up livelihoods," he said at the time.
According to the plan, Palestinians would have been paid $5,000 to leave their land and Gaza would have been converted into world-class resorts and artificial islands.
Steve Witkoff
Steve Witkoff looks on as he delivers a press conference at the Coalition of the Willing summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, at the Elysee Palace in Paris on 6 January 2026 (Ludovic Marin/AFP)
Steve Witkoff, a billionaire Jewish-American real estate developer, had no official training as a diplomat before he was appointed as Trump’s Middle East envoy. But the 68-year-old has received widespread praise for pushing the October ceasefire deal across the finish line.
During a meeting with Hamas leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Witkoff shared the pain of losing his son to a drug overdose whilst he was negotiating with the Palestinian group's senior leader Khalil al-Hayya.
Earlier this month, Witkoff announced the start of phase two of Trump's plan to end the war on Gaza, adding that he expected Hamas to "comply fully with its obligations" under the deal, or face "serious consequences".
Tony Blair
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair speaks at a session during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on 22 January 2025 (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP)
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair had long been touted as a potential member of the committee that would oversee post-war Gaza, despite dragging his country into the disastrous 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Aside from his role in the Iraq war, his tenure as Middle East peace envoy failed to achieve a lasting peace solution for Israel-Palestine and was widely criticised by both sides.
After leaving office, Blair's consultancy organisation, the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), drew widespread criticism for advising a raft of autocratic governments, including Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The institute denied reports that Blair advised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2014 after the general ousted the country's first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi.
The TBI also received money from a financial fraudster linked with illegal Israeli settlements and an American Islamophobic network.
Since leaving office, Blair has also served as an honorary patron of the UK branch of Israel's Jewish National Fund (JNF), which has faced heavy criticism for its activities - including donating £1m ($1.3m) to what it described as "Israel's largest militia" and erasing Palestine from its official maps.
The TBI was more recently linked to a widely condemned post-war plan for Gaza, which envisioned the transformation of the strip into a commercial hub and the forced displacement of Palestinians from the war-ravaged enclave.
Ajay Banga
World Bank President Ajay Banga attends a seminar in Washington on 14 October 2025 (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
Ajay Banga, the president of the World Bank, is one of two financial experts to join the founding executive board.
Beginning his career at Nestle India, he later played a decisive role in launching PepsiCo's fast food franchises Pizza Hut and KFC in India as the country’s economy liberalised.
He later advised a number of US politicians, including former US President Barack Obama, and in 2023 would be nominated to lead the World Bank by former US President Joe Biden.
In 2024, Banga heaped praise on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he called building a strong relationship with the US.
Years earlier, Banga was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest awards that was previously conferred by the Indian government on Jawaharlal Nehru.
Marc Rowan
Marc Rowan, co-Founder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, speaks at the 28th annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California on 5 May 2025 (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP)
Billionaire businessman Marc Rowan is the other financial expert to join the founding executive board.
As CEO of Apollo Global Management, his private equity firm is heavily engaged in businesses in Israel.
His firm has previously collaborated with companies such as Phoenix Holdings, now known as Phoenix Financial, which, according to data seen by Middle East Eye, in March 2025 held shares in businesses accused by the United Nations of operating in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In several interviews, Rowan, 63, has referred to himself as a "proud supporter of the State of Israel" and called Israel a "refuge" for Jews.
He currently serves as chair of the board of UJA-Federation of New York, one of the world's largest local philanthropy groups, which has reportedly sent funds to groups supporting Israeli settlements.
In October 2023, weeks after his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, held a pro-Palestinian festival, Rowan demanded that the school's president and chair of the board of trustees step down.
Despite the event being held weeks before the 7 October attacks, both officials later stepped aside.
In December 2025, Rowan accused Zohran Mamdani, who was campaigning to become New York City mayor, of being an "enemy" of the Jews at a fundraiser which raised around $57 million for pro-Israel causes.
Mamdani would decisively win the race and become New York City mayor.
Robert Gabriel
Also named to the founding executive board is relative unknown Robert Gabriel.
Gabriel served as a policy adviser on Trump's first presidential campaign, and during the 6 January riots wrote a text message to an unnamed person, saying: "POTUS [the President of the United States], I'm sure, is loving this".
According to Politico, Gabriel worked closely with chief of staff Susie Wiles as her "main consigliere," and during the 2024 presidential campaign, he served as her assistant.
Who are the senior advisers appointed to the 'Board of Peace'?
The White House announced that two senior advisers were also appointed to run the Board of Peace's day-to-day strategy and operations: Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum.
Lightstone was a senior adviser to David Friedman, a staunch defender of Israel's illegal settlement movement, when he was US ambassador to Israel between 2017 and 2021.
Lightstone was also a former executive director of Shining Light, a US fundraising entity with ties to Israel’s right-wing.
According to Haaretz, Lightstone was also deeply involved in the creation of the highly controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Less is publicly known about Gruenbaum, who was described by the White House as a senior adviser responsible for operational coordination.
However, Gruenbaum is known to have worked with Kushner on Trump's Gaza "riviera" plan.
Who is the High Representative for Gaza?
The White House also announced that former UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov was appointed as the High Representative for Gaza and would act as the key link between the Gaza Executive Board and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) - a technocratic committee made up of Palestinian officials that’s meant to run the enclave.
The UAE-based Mladenov forged good ties with Kushner when the latter was negotiating the 2020 Abraham Accords agreements, which saw the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan normalise ties with Israel, Arab and western officials previously told MEE.
Kushner told The New York Times that the Trump administration "confided in" the Bulgarian diplomat during the negotiations and took his "constructive feedback".
What is the Gaza Executive Board?
The White House also named an 11-member "Gaza Executive Board" that was designed to provide regional and international coordination.
It was unclear what responsibilities the board or its members would have.
According to the list released by the White House, the board includes Blair, Kushner, Rowan and Witkoff - several of the same figures in the founding executive board.
The Gaza Executive Board also included senior officials from regional states, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, Egyptian intelligence official Hassan Rashad, and UAE minister Reem al-Hashimy.
Also nominated for a role was Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch politician and United Nations coordinator in Gaza.
Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israeli-Cypriot businessman Yakir Gabay, who held very close ties to Blair and Kushner, would also serve on the board.
What is the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza?
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) was established in October as part of Trump's 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
Formally announced on 15 January, its members have yet to be officially confirmed, but according to a list seen by MEE, the committee will be led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian deputy minister for planning.
Speaking to reporters on 18 January, Shaath said the body would seek to restore core services to Gaza and cultivate a society "rooted in peace".
"Under the guidance of the Board of Peace, chaired by President Donald J Trump, and with the support and assistance of the High Representative for Gaza, our mission is to rebuild the Gaza Strip not just in infrastructure but also in spirit," Shaath said.
US announces Palestinian technocratic rule for Gaza under Trump's 'Board of Peace'
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He added that the NCAG would focus on establishing security in the enclave, of which just under half is controlled by Hamas.
Israel controls at least 53 percent of Gaza following the October ceasefire agreement, occupying territory east of an invisible and ever-expanding boundary known as the 'Yellow line'.
According to the list seen by MEE, the other members of the NCAG include Omar Shamali, who would oversee communications; Abdul Karim Ashour, who would oversee agriculture; Aed Yaghi, who would be responsible for the enclave's battered healthcare system, and Aed Abu Ramadan, who would lead industry and economy.
The list also said that Jabr al-Daour would oversee matters pertaining to education; Bashir al-Rayes would deal with finance; Ali Barhoum would oversee water and municipalities; Hanaa Tarzi would be in charge of relief and solidarity, and Adnan Salem Abu Warda would oversee the judiciary.
It said that Rami Tawfiq Helles would handle endowments and religious affairs, Osama Hassan al-Saadawi would oversee housing and public works, and Samira Helles would cover energy and transportation.
Meanwhile, Sami Nasman, a retired senior Palestinian Authority security officer and a longtime critic of Hamas, would become the minister of security.
In 2015, a Gaza court sentenced Nasman, in absentia, to 15 years in prison for inciting "chaos" and allegedly orchestrating assassination attempts against Hamas leaders.
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