The case for India to join Trump’s Board of Peace

resident Trump’s formation of the Board of Peace (BoP) has set the cat among the pigeons.

- TS Tirumurti

The first meeting is scheduled for February 19. Based on the US proposal, UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 2803 approved the setting up of a Board of Peace for overseeing the Gaza Peace Plan.The UNSCR 2803 gives the BoP sweeping powers, including the supervision and implementation of transitional governance administration of a “Palestinian technocratic, apolitical committee of competent Palestinians from the Strip”; undertake reconstruction of Gaza and establish a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, “acceptable to the BoP”. In effect, the UN Security Council (UNSC) gave carte blanche to President Trump to set up the BoP as he deems fit. And history has shown us, especially in Israel-Egypt and Israel-Jordan peace treaties, that sustained US involvement, security and economic assurances and close monitoring, are crucial for the success of any plan in West Asia. That's what BoP aims to do.

But when Trump did set it up, many have accused him of exceeding the mandate given to him by UNSCR 2803. One clear transgression has been that he has extended the mandate of the BoP to cover all conflicts and not just the Gaza Peace Plan. Apart from this, as regards other provisions of keeping the ultimate veto for himself as Chair of the Board, choosing the countries invited and constituting the Executive Board, it is ingenious to argue that he was not authorised to do so when the UNSC gave him carte blanche to do what he wants with the BoP.