AS was expected, Pakistan has been invited to join a newly announced US-led Gaza Board of Peace (BoP), a high-level international body tasked with overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction, transition governance and the disarmament of Hamas.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that US President Donald Trump had extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to join the Board, underlining Islamabad’s continued engagement with international efforts aimed at peace and stability in Gaza. The invitation comes as the White House formally unveiled the structure and membership of the BoP, which US officials describe as a global mechanism to manage Gaza’s post-war transition.
Skepticism prevails about real motives and the mandate of the Board as well as other aspects of the plan for Gaza launched by President Donald Trump but initial reaction shows despite reservations, most of those invited are expected to join for the sake of being part of global efforts aimed at restoration of peace in the Middle-East that could prevent further bloodshed of Palestinians at the hands of the expansionist Jewish State. Without elaborating whether or not the country accepts the invitation, the FO spokesperson remarked “Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions”. It is understood that in view of many pitfalls involved, a decision on the matter will come after exhaustive internal debate, with possibility of input and guidance from the parliament. The government will have to take into consideration the sensitivities of people of Pakistan as well as those of the Palestinian people. Already, Pakistan did not contribute its troops for Gaza Stabilization Force as it wanted to participate under strict UN mandate for peacekeeping, not peace enforcement, focusing on reconstruction, not fighting Hamas. Whatever the decision, it is quite evident from the statement of the Foreign Office that the country intends to remain steadfast on its principled stand on the legitimate rights of Palestinian people as the statement declares Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
Hopefully, Pakistan will make a saner choice after consultations with like-minded countries and keeping national interests and broader aspirations of Palestinian people. The very fact that over sixty countries have been invited to participate shows the US wants global cover for its plans for Gaza, even bypassing the UN, which has either no or limited role in the matter. Trump had initially unveiled the board as part of phase two of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas to end Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, envisioning that the body would oversee “governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding and capital mobilization” in the enclave. But in letters to some of the world leaders, the US President said the board would seek to “solidify Peace in the Middle East”, adding that it would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving Global Conflict” at the same time. This effectively means to empower the Board, to be chaired by Trump himself for life, to intervene elsewhere as well, making it a ‘mini or Trump UN’ in the view of some commentators or a counter-weight to the world body. The draft charter of the Board confirms such ambitions as it seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict, emphasizing ‘durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common sense solutions and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed’. Similarly, the condition of a $1 billion donation for membership beyond three years is clearly an extortionist move. The governance model in phase two practically leaves out Palestinians and it is to be seen what results decisions made by outsiders will produce.
