Trump formalizes his Peace Council: "Gaza will be rebuilt and will be very beautiful"

BarcelonaDonald Trump launched the Peace Commission on Thursday, tasked with ending the Gaza war. The ceremony brought together the heads of state of the nations that have confirmed their attendance In the Swiss town of Davos, the President of the United States signed a document formalizing this committee with a commitment to demilitarize the Gaza Strip and "rebuild" it so that it is "very beautiful," but with the ambition that it also address other global challenges beyond the Middle East.

A large banner reading "Committee for Peace" presided over the World Economic Forum room where representatives of the countries that will make up this new global entity have been parading. Javier Milei and Viktor Orbán were two of the most well-known faces who sat on the stage to demonstrate unity with Donald Trump in this new global order.

"No administration in history has achieved a turnaround in just 12 months, both at home and abroad," began the Republican leader, who again reviewed the supposed successes of his first year in office in domestic policy. He also praised the work he has done abroad: "Today the world is richer, safer, and more peaceful than it was just a year ago. We have put out all these fires," he said, referring to the supposed wars he has stopped.

Trump, who will preside over this new organization, hopes it will also serve to end other conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine. "Once this board is fully formed, we can do practically anything we want. And we will do it in conjunction with the United Nations," said Trump, who emphasized—in line with his statements of recent days—that the UN has great untapped potential. Referring to Ukraine, hours before his scheduled meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, he maintained that "much progress" was being made.

A Riviera in Gaza

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law who has been negotiating on the front lines in Gaza, outlined plans for the reconstruction of Gaza using language more akin to a business meeting than a peace conference. "Eighty-five percent of Gaza's GDP has been humanitarian aid until now. This is not sustainable," he stated, ignoring the employment regime that governs the enclave's economy. "We want to use the free-market principles that Trump talks about to give these people [the Palestinians] the ability to feel hopeful." He said the next phase of the ceasefire agreement must address funding for the territory's reconstruction and the disarmament of Hamas.

The graphic he used to present his plans shows a proposed waterfront resort with 180 towers, while the entire enclave is projected to include several industrial complexes with data centers, a large airport, a port and logistics infrastructure, and various green spaces. A map that brings to mind the Trump's idea for the Gaza Riviera, a holiday resort without too many Palestinians.

In a gesture intended to demonstrate the White House's commitment to the supposed peace, a connection was made with Ali Shaath, the leader of the Palestinian technocratic committee, to announce that the Rafah crossing will reopen next week. This crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip has been closed since May 2024, preventing the passage of humanitarian aid, with the stated objective of pressuring Hamas to release Israeli hostages. "It is an important step and marks a new direction," stated Shaath, who cautioned that much work remains to be done.

Concerned about the role that will be played

Trump has invited dozens of other world leaders to join them. Among the 35 who have accepted are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Israel, and Turkey. While he has announced that he does not intend for it to replace the United Nations, many countries—especially European ones—fear that its role as an international actor will ultimately undermine the organization. For this reason, some of Washington's traditional allies have resisted joining the board, either responding cautiously or rejecting the invitation altogether. So far, Sweden and Finland have declined, and many European countries have opted for prudence. It is worth remembering that Trump is asking permanent members for a payment of one billion dollars each to help fund the organization. No other permanent member of the UN Security Council—the five nations with the most say in international law since the end of World War II—except the United States, has yet committed to joining. Russia said Wednesday it was studying the proposal after Trump said it would join. France has refused. And the UK ruled out joining for now on Thursday. China, on the other hand, has opted for silence.