Trump pledges a future for Gaza as part of the “Peace Council” initiative
US President Donald Trump announced the launch of the “Peace Council,” an international initiative aimed at addressing issues related to the future of the Gaza Strip and the Middle East, with representatives from more than 45 countries participating. In his opening remarks at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, Trump affirmed his unwavering commitment “to working toward a brighter future for Gaza and the Middle East,” expressing his confidence that more countries would join these efforts in the future.
General context and historical background
This initiative comes within the broader context of the Trump administration's policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, known in the media as the "Deal of the Century." This policy has focused heavily on the economic aspect as a means to achieve peace, as clearly demonstrated in the "Peace to Prosperity" workshop hosted by Bahrain in June 2019. This vision aims to inject massive investments into the Palestinian territories and neighboring countries to improve living conditions, in the hope that this will pave the way for political solutions later. However, the Palestinian leadership has rejected this approach, considering it an attempt to circumvent the fundamental political rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
The US president described the Gaza situation as “very complicated,” noting that much work remains to be done on the ground. The Gaza Strip, home to more than two million people, has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007, leading to a catastrophic deterioration in economic and humanitarian conditions, with unemployment and poverty rates soaring to record levels. In this context, the meeting is expected to yield significant financial pledges. The Associated Press reported that participating countries pledged $5 billion as an initial contribution to the Gaza Reconstruction Fund. This sum is expected to be just the beginning, as the fund will require billions more in subsequent phases to address the extensive damage to infrastructure and stimulate the local economy. The international community is closely monitoring these efforts, with some seeing them as an opportunity to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Gaza, while others fear they may be a substitute for a comprehensive and just political solution that guarantees the rights of all parties.
