Role of the “Board of Peace”

Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash

The Board of Peace (BoP) is the central pillar of the 2025 Trump 20-Point Plan. Its role has evolved rapidly from a localized oversight committee for Gaza into a much broader, controversial international organization that some diplomats have dubbed a “Mini-UN.”

Here is the breakdown of its specific role and how its leadership was assembled.

The Role of the Board of Peace

The BoP functions as a “super-authority” that sits at the top of a three-tier governance hierarchy. Its primary mandate is to manage the transition of Gaza from a war zone to a “deradicalized economic hub,” but its charter also allows it to intervene in other global conflicts.

• Strategic Oversight: The Board provides the final word on the “Security Perimeter” around Gaza and the milestones for the withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
• Financial Control: It manages the Gaza Reconstruction Fund, which aims to mobilize over $70 billion. Major donors like the UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia funnel their contributions through the Board rather than traditional UN agencies like UNRWA.
• Security Command: The Board oversees the International Stabilization Force (ISF), a 20,000-troop multinational unit led by U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers III, tasked with disarming Hamas and policing the “Yellow Line.”
• The “Global Pivot”: In early 2026, the Board’s charter was revised to remove specific mentions of Gaza, defining it instead as a permanent body for “promoting peace in regions affected by conflict,” effectively positioning it as a competitor to the United Nations.

How Members Were Selected

The selection process was largely top-down, driven by Presidential Invitation rather than international elections or democratic consensus.

1. The Executive Board (The “Architects”)

The core leadership consists of a “Founding Executive Board” of roughly 14 members, chosen for their personal loyalty to the Chair and their expertise in private equity, high-level diplomacy, or regional security.

• Key Figures: Includes Jared Kushner (strategic advisor), Marco Rubio (Secretary of State), Tony Blair (Former UK PM), and Marc Rowan (CEO of Apollo Global Management).
• The Criteria: Selection was based on what the White House called “best-in-class expertise in capital mobilization and infrastructure development.”

2. The International Partners (The “Founding Members”)

Over 25 countries (including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Argentina) joined by signing a founding charter in Davos in January 2026.

• The “Pay-to-Play” Element: Member states are reportedly required to contribute $1 billion every three years to maintain their status on the board.
• Strategic Alignment: Many countries joined to maintain a “transactional” relationship with the U.S. or to ensure they had a seat at the table when contracts for Gaza’s reconstruction were awarded.

3. The Local Level (The NCAG)

At the bottom of the hierarchy is the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), consisting of 15 Palestinian technocrats (engineers, doctors, and former civil servants).

• The Selection: These members were selected by the U.S. and approved by Israel. Crucially, they have no political mandate; they are barred from having ties to either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has led critics to argue they are “employees” rather than leaders.

The Governing Hierarchy

Summary of the Selection Conflict

The “World View” conflict here is clear: Supporters see this as a meritocratic “Peace through Business” model that replaces “failed” UN bureaucracy with efficient private-sector logic. Critics, however, see it as an “Exclusionary Club” where membership is bought and local Palestinian voices are hand-picked by foreign powers.