Palestinian factions have voiced strong reservations over the formation of the so-called Board of 'Peace' and its two subsidiary bodies, announced last Friday by US President Donald Trump, saying the council was designed to Israeli specifications and serves the US plan dubbed the “Middle East Riviera.”
Three Palestinian factional sources who spoke to Al Manassa said that the selection of council members reflected Israeli criteria, stressing that the conditional consent of resistance factions was limited solely to halting the genocide and easing the suffering of Gaza’s population after two years of Israeli aggression.
The announcement has triggered widespread controversy amid opaque mandates and the complete absence of any Palestinian representation, contrasted with the inclusion of a prominent Israeli figure, businessman Yakir Gabay.
Trump announced on Friday the creation of the Board of ''Peace,' which he will chair, along with two offshoot bodies: a “Foundational Executive Council” and a “Gaza Executive Council.” The move forms part of his vision to “establish peace in the Middle East,” a 20-point plan he unveiled at the end of September.
“Serves the occupation alone”
Mohammed Al-Haj Moussa, spokesperson for Islamic Jihad, explained to Al Manassa that the names announced for the council “serve only the interests of the occupation,” adding that the selection process followed explicit Israeli standards.
Earlier, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Trump’s announcement was made “was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy.”
The council’s composition signals premeditated intentions to serve Israel’s agenda regarding Gaza’s future, added Al-Haj Moussa, but noted that the movement remains willing to cooperate with the recently announced Gaza administration committee. This is despite reservations about some of its members, he maintained. Al-Hajj Moussa said such engagement aims solely to accelerate the lifting of hardship on civilians.
In recent days, Palestinian factions, in coordination with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United States, and with Israeli approval, formed a committee to administer Gaza during a transitional phase focused on rehabilitation and reconstruction. The committee is chaired by Ali Shaath and operates under the supervision of the Board of “Peace”.
Hamas also objects to the council’s current formation, senior official stressed to Al Manass, stating that “the lineup includes figures with tainted records, foremost among them former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose name Hamas and Arab partners had already opposed.”
The official, who requested anonymity, said Hamas nevertheless supports any step that could alleviate Gaza’s suffering, speed the entry of aid, and launch the second phase of the agreement.
He added that Hamas harbors concerns over the council’s economic orientation, particularly given the real estate backgrounds of several members, linking this to what was previously known as Trump’s “Eastern Riviera” plan. Still, he said the presence of Palestinian resistance and people on the ground renders any such scheme ultimately transient.
On the proposed international force tasked with overseeing stability in Gaza, the Hamas official said any force carrying out missions on behalf of the Israeli occupation, or implementing objectives Israel failed to achieve militarily, would be treated as an occupying force. He stressed that the only acceptable force would be one mandated to monitor a ceasefire and separate the occupation from Gaza.
A senior figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, also speaking anonymously, told Al Manassa that the group is open to any step that ends the war and lifts injustice from Gaza, while maintaining its commitment to a two-state solution and an independent Palestinian state. However, he said the exclusion of Palestinians from the US-formed council was deliberate and deeply concerning.
Former Palestinian negotiations minister Hassan Asfour described the council as “a procedural and symbolic step rather than a functional body with real authority.”
Asfour told Al Manassa the council includes four Jewish figures, one of them Israeli, making any positive shift toward Gaza or the Palestinian cause unlikely. He added that the Gaza administration committee lacks financial resources or genuine authority and depends entirely on Israeli approval to enter Gaza and carry out its work.
At initial announcement, Trump had said the board would play a central role in implementing his peace plan by providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza moves “from conflict to peace and development.”
The Board of “Peace” is overseen by a Foundational Executive Council comprising figures with backgrounds in diplomacy, development, infrastructure and economic strategy: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner; and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
It also includes billionaire private equity executive Marc Rowan; World Bank Group President Ajay Banga; and Trump adviser Robert Gabriel.
Trump appointed Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as advisers to the Board of Peace, responsible for leading strategy and daily operations.
Under the announced structure, former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov will serve as High Representative for Gaza.
Numerous human rights experts and advocates have previously said Trump’s oversight of a council managing a non-US territory evokes colonial imagery, according to Reuters.
The statement also named Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, former commander of US special operations, as head of the international stabilization force.
The decision includes the creation of a “Gaza Executive Council,” which, according to the White House, aims to support the Office of the High Representative and the National Committee for Gaza’s Administration by contributing to “good governance” and providing services that promote peace, stability and prosperity for Gaza’s population.
The Gaza Executive Council includes seven members in addition to Mladenov, Witkoff, Kushner, Blair and Rowan: Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad; Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan; UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy; Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi; Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay; and Dutch politician Sigrid Kaag.
