UN Security Council Approves Resolution Backing Trump‘s Gaza Plan
The UN Security Council has approved a resolution supporting a plan for post-conflict Gaza spearheaded by former US President Donald Trump.The resolution establishes two key bodies: the International Security Force (ISF) and the Board of Peace (BoP).
according too US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, the ISF will be “tasked with securing the area, supporting the demilitarization of Gaza, dismantling the terrorist infrastructure, removing weapons, and ensuring the safety of Palestinian civilians.” The BoP will oversee a Palestinian technocratic, apolitical committee responsible for governance and the reconstruction of Gaza, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Financing for Gaza’s reconstruction, following two years of conflict, will be managed through a trust fund backed by the World bank. Both the ISF and BoP are intended to operate alongside a palestinian committee and police force.
Trump hailed the Security Council vote as “historic,” stating it was a way of ”acknowledging and endorsing” the BoP, with its final membership to be announced shortly. He anticipates chairing the Board and proclaimed on his Truth Social platform that “This will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World, and is a moment of true Historic proportion!”
A key element of the resolution, absent from earlier drafts, is a reference to a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” a provision advocated for by several council members. However, Israel strongly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, presenting a potential obstacle to future statehood. This inclusion was the result of pressure from key Arab states.
The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson emphasized the need for the resolution to “translate… into concrete and urgently needed steps on the ground” and ultimately lead to “a political process for the achievement of the two-State solution.”
The US, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and several other Arab and Muslim-majority nations have urged for the swift implementation of the resolution. The Palestinian Authority issued a statement calling for “urgent and immediate” implementation of its terms.
Russia and China abstained from the vote, allowing the resolution to pass, largely due to the support of the Palestinian Authority and eight other Arab and Muslim nations. Both Moscow and Beijing voiced criticism, citing a lack of clarity regarding the composition of the key mechanisms, insufficient UN involvement, and the absence of an explicit reaffirmation of commitment to the two-state solution.
The plan’s initial phase – a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, coupled with the exchange of hostages and detainees – took affect on October 10th. Waltz described this as a “fragile, fragile first step.”
Trump’s plan effectively halted the fighting between Israel and Hamas that began after Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel on October 7,2023,resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. As then, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports more than 69,483 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action.
