Will Trump’s Board of Peace Solve The Gaza Conflict?
- Uri Pilichowski
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
The million-dollar question, or actually, the billion-dollar question people are asking this week, centers around US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. Founded to solve the chaotic situation in Gaza, the Board of Peace is Trump’s invention, and doesn’t have any standing in international law, although the mandate of the board was approved in November 2025 by the United Nations Security Council. It is designed to bring peace to Gaza, and maybe even other areas in the Middle East.
Trump’s Board of Peace: Meaning
The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict. The Board of Peace shall undertake such peace-building functions in accordance with international law and as may be approved in accordance with this Charter, including the development and dissemination of best practices capable of being applied by all nations and communities seeking peace.
How to join the Board of Peace
The Board of Peace’s charter states, “Membership in the Board of Peace is limited to States invited to participate by the Chairman.” This doesn’t seem to be a comprehensive statement since many non-heads of state have been granted membership on the board. The charter outlines the chairman of the board, “Donald J. Trump shall serve as inaugural Chairman of the Board of Peace, and he shall separately serve as inaugural representative of the United States of America.” It is interesting to note that Trump’s position as chairman is not linked to being President of the United States. This means that Trump can remain chairman for years after his term as president concludes.
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In addition to regular members of the board, there are also a number of additional boards, including an executive board. Trump nominated the following people to the executive board: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Billionaire financier Marc Rowan, World Bank Group president Ajay Banga, and National Security adviser Robert Gabriel.
There is also a Gaza Executive Board. Trump appointed the following people to be on that board: Witkoff, Kushner, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan, Ali Al-Thawadi, strategic affairs minister in Qatari prime minister's office, Egyptian intelligence chief General Hassan Rashad, Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Reem Al-Hashimy, Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov, and Yakir Gabay, and Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch former deputy prime minister and ex-UN envoy. The Gaza Executive Board also has two senior advisors, Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum.
Who’s on the Board of Peace?
More than 50 countries were invited to join the Board of Peace. The following countries have joined, including: Bahrain, Canada, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
There are some countries that were invited but have declined the invitation. Britain declined to sign onto the board for now, including UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who told the BBC on Thursday, "We won't be one of the signatories today." Cooper added: "Because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues, and we do also have concerns about Russian President Vladimir Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine." France, Norway, Italy and Sweden said they were holding off on joining for now.
Will the Board of Peace succeed?
Skeptics claim there are serious concerns with the Board of Peace. “The risk with the Board of Peace is therefore not simply that it could fail. It is hoped that it might succeed in reframing the conflict in ways that lower expectations. Reconstruction without sovereignty, aid without rights, and stability without justice are all familiar outcomes of past processes. A board that treats Gaza primarily as a technical rebuilding challenge, rather than as part of a wider political struggle for self-determination, risks repeating this pattern.”
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Advocates for the Board of Peace see potential for its success. According to the White House, the board will play "an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the president’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.” In November, the United Nations backed the United States plan for the Board of Peace to govern Gaza and oversee its reconstruction under a two-year renewable mandate.
Wrap up
The Board of Peace, chaired indefinitely by Donald Trump and backed by a UN Security Council mandate for Gaza's reconstruction, represents a bold, unconventional attempt to achieve lasting stability through international oversight, resource mobilization, and technocratic governance.
With diverse membership—including key regional players like Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—plus high-profile figures such as Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, and Marco Rubio, it holds potential to deliver reconstruction and demilitarization if a unified commitment prevails.
However, skepticism abounds over its Trump-centric structure, lack of Palestinian representation, risks of prioritizing stability without justice or sovereignty, and expansion beyond Gaza, potentially undermining expectations for genuine self-determination. Ultimate success remains uncertain, hinging on overcoming political divisions and delivering tangible peace rather than mere reframing of the conflict.
Uri Pilichowski is an author, speaker, and senior educator at institutions around the world.