Trump Says Gaza Board Could Replace United Nations
US President Donald Trump said the international “Gaza Board” he has championed could one day replace the United Nations, arguing that existing multilateral institutions have failed to prevent or resolve major conflicts, even as he said the UN should continue operating.
Trump’s remarks come days after his administration helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, ending months of intense fighting in the Gaza Strip, and as Washington pushes forward with plans for a new US- led body to oversee post-war governance, security and reconstruction in the Palestinian enclave.
The proposed Gaza Board, unveiled earlier this month, is intended to serve as a temporary international authority to stabilise Gaza following the war.
Trump has described it as a model for a new approach to global peace-building, saying it could eventually take on a broader role beyond Gaza.
Gaza, a narrow Mediterranean territory home to about 2 million Palestinians, has been under Israeli blockade for years and governed by Hamas since 2007.
The latest war erupted after a Hamas-led attack on Israel, triggering a large-scale Israeli military offensive that devastated much of the territory, displaced most of the population and sparked a severe humanitarian crisis.
Fighting continued for months despite repeated diplomatic efforts, with international pressure mounting over civilian casualties, the destruction of infrastructure and restrictions on aid deliveries.
The ceasefire announced late last year, with the United States playing a central mediation role, halted major hostilities and opened the way for talks on reconstruction and longer-term governance.
Under Trump’s plan, the Gaza Board would oversee security arrangements, humanitarian assistance and the rebuilding of critical infrastructure, while supporting the establishment of a technocratic local administration.
The body would also coordinate funding from international donors and supervise reforms aimed at preventing the return of armed groups.
According to outlines of the proposal, membership of the board would include selected countries and individuals invited by the United States, along with senior international figures.
Participation would be tied to financial and logistical commitments, with members expected to contribute to reconstruction and security efforts.
Critics say this structure departs sharply from the UN’s universal membership model.
Trump has said the board would be more decisive and effective than existing institutions, arguing that the United Nations has been paralysed by bureaucracy and political divisions.
His suggestion that the new body could ultimately supplant the UN has drawn unease among diplomats, who warn that creating parallel institutions risks weakening international cooperation.
Supporters of the plan say the board offers a pragmatic response to a protracted conflict that has repeatedly defied traditional diplomacy.
They argue that Gaza’s devastation requires an extraordinary mechanism capable of acting quickly and enforcing decisions.
Opponents, however, question the legitimacy of a US-led body with limited membership and fear it could sideline Palestinian political representation and undermine international law.
ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org