Trump’s Board of Peace Excludes UN, Stirs Controversy

President Trump’s new Board of Peace has secured over $15 billion in international pledges for Gaza reconstruction while deliberately sidelining the United Nations and traditional power brokers, marking a bold departure from failed diplomatic approaches that have plagued Middle East peace efforts for decades.

Story Highlights

Trump convened 45 nations for inaugural Board of Peace meeting, securing over $15 billion in reconstruction pledges including $10 billion from the U.S.
Board structure excludes UN Security Council members except the U.S. and bars Palestinian political representation, focusing instead on technocratic governance
UAE and Kuwait each pledged $1.2 billion while Ambassador Waltz defended the approach, saying “old ways” of conflict resolution “were not working”
Success hinges entirely on Hamas disarmament, with experts warning failure could return Gaza to war zone status or permanent partition
Israel has blocked U.S.-backed technocrats from entering Gaza, creating immediate implementation obstacles despite ceasefire conditions

Trump Rejects Failed UN Framework for Gaza Peace

President Trump hosted representatives from approximately 45 nations on February 19, 2026, in Washington for the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, with 27 countries officially designated as board members. The administration deliberately excluded permanent UN Security Council members besides the United States, signaling rejection of traditional multilateral approaches that have consistently failed to resolve Middle Eastern conflicts. Ambassador Mike Waltz justified this structure by stating the “old ways” of addressing conflict “were not working,” a sentiment many Americans share after watching decades of ineffective UN-centered diplomacy produce nothing but continued instability and American taxpayer dollars wasted on bureaucratic failures.

Over $15 Billion Pledged for Gaza Reconstruction

Countries committed at least $5 billion in initial pledges during the meeting, with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait each contributing $1.2 billion. The Trump administration announced a substantial $10 billion U.S. contribution, bringing total pledges to over $15 billion for Gaza’s postwar reconstruction. This represents significant financial commitment concentrated among Gulf Arab and Central Asian nations aligned with U.S. strategic interests. The funding provides immediate capital for rebuilding Gaza’s infrastructure devastated by conflict, though actual disbursement timelines and conditions remain to be detailed. For American taxpayers already frustrated by endless foreign aid, the question remains whether this investment will actually produce lasting peace or simply fund another round of reconstruction before the next conflict.

Technocratic Governance Bypasses Palestinian Political Representation

The board’s structure focuses on technocratic governance rather than political representation, with Palestinian administrators proposed to manage day-to-day Gaza operations without formal political authority. This approach deliberately excludes Palestinian political representation from the board itself, concentrating decision-making authority among U.S.-aligned nations. The Trump administration established a separate committee of Palestinian technocrats intended to govern Gaza, but Israel has not permitted these U.S.-backed committee members to enter Gaza territory despite the ceasefire agreement. This creates immediate practical barriers to implementation and raises questions about whether reconstruction planning can proceed without access to the territory requiring rebuilding.

Hamas Disarmament Determines Initiative’s Viability

Washington Institute for Near East Policy analysts Dennis Ross and David Makovsky identified the critical vulnerability in the board’s framework: complete dependence on Hamas disarmament. They warned that if Hamas refuses to disarm, Gaza will remain partitioned with residents living under Hamas tyranny or Israeli occupation, or worse, return to war zone status. The pathway to Palestinian statehood explicitly requires Hamas demilitarization, creating potential deadlock since Hamas maintains organizational presence and shows little indication of voluntary disarmament. Israel continues near-daily strikes against what it characterizes as Hamas threats, while both sides accuse each other of truce violations, demonstrating the fragile nature of current ceasefire conditions.

If hamas is allowed into a rebuilt Gaza, this will be a $10B fustercluck paid for by US taxpayers.

Trump Hosts Inaugural 'Board of Peace' Meeting, Announces $10 Billion U.S. Contribution https://t.co/wg2JPY2gnt

— Donald Kennedy (@karloff1958) February 19, 2026

The board operates within this unstable environment where humanitarian access remains inconsistent, with several planned humanitarian missions blocked this month by either Israel or security risks. The UN and partner agencies have medically evacuated at least 108 patients and facilitated the return of at least 269 people to Gaza since Israel partially opened the Rafah border crossing earlier in February. However, the fundamental question remains whether substantial reconstruction funding can produce lasting stability when the underlying security issues—particularly Hamas’s armed presence—remain unresolved. Americans rightly question whether their tax dollars will fund genuine peace or simply temporary reconstruction before the next conflict cycle begins.