US Announces Feb 19 Meeting for Gaza Peace Initiative in Washington
The White House is moving forward with the inaugural leaders’ meeting for President Donald Trump’s newly established “Board of Peace,” focusing on the Gaza crisis. According to reports, the session is tentatively scheduled for February 19 at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington.
This meeting is also intended to serve as a fundraising conference for Gaza’s reconstruction, though plans are described as being in the early stages and subject to change. The timing places it directly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to the White House on February 18, setting the stage for what appears to be a closely sequenced diplomatic push.
A Controversial New Framework
Launched in late January, the Board of Peace is a Trump-led initiative that aims to resolve global conflicts, starting with Gaza. Its creation has generated significant debate. While some of Washington’s Middle Eastern allies have joined, many traditional Western partners have so far held back, reacting with caution.
Critics, including numerous rights experts and scholars, have raised profound concerns. They argue that a U.S.-chaired board supervising the governance of a foreign territory resembles a colonial structure, particularly as it does not include Palestinian representation. Furthermore, many fear the initiative could undermine the role of the United Nations in international peacemaking.
Operating Within a UN Mandate
The board operates within the authority of a UN Security Council resolution adopted in mid-November. That resolution authorized the board and cooperating countries to establish an international stabilization force in Gaza, following the fragile ceasefire that began in October under a U.S.-brokered plan agreed to by Israel and Hamas.
Under Trump’s original Gaza proposal, the board was tasked with overseeing the territory’s temporary governance before its mandate was expanded to address conflicts worldwide.
A Meeting Amidst Ongoing Crisis
The planned Washington gathering unfolds against a backdrop of continued fragility. The October ceasefire has been repeatedly violated, with over 550 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reported killed since it took effect. The broader conflict, which began in late 2023, has resulted in over 71,000 Palestinian deaths, a catastrophic hunger crisis, and the displacement of Gaza’s entire population—a situation multiple UN experts and independent investigators describe as amounting to genocide, a charge Israel vehemently denies.
As preparations for the February 19 meeting advance, the world will be watching to see whether this new “Board of Peace” can translate into a credible mechanism for peace and reconstruction, or if it becomes another point of contention in a deeply polarized and tragic conflict.
Also Read:
