US pushes UN to adopt peace plan

THE US on Thursday called on the UN Security Council to unite and back its draft resolution aimed at bolstering US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, warning that Palestinians could otherwise suffer “grave” consequences.

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US officials have launched negotiations within the council on a draft that would follow up on a ceasefire in the two-year war between Israel and Hamas and endorse Trump’s plan.

A third draft of the resolution seen on Thursday “welcomes the establishment of the Board of Peace”, a transitional governing body for Gaza - that Trump would theoretically chair — with a mandate running until the end of 2027. It would authorise member states to form a “temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)” that would work with Israel and Egypt and newly trained Palestinian police to help secure border areas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip.

The ISF also would work on the “permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups”, protecting civilians and securing humanitarian aid corridors. Unlike previous drafts, the latest mentions a possible future Palestinian state.

Once the Palestinian Authority has carried out requested reforms and the rebuilding of Gaza is under way, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood”, the draft says.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday he was optimistic that the resolution would be adopted. But while it seems that council members support the creation of a board of peace in principle, diplomats said questions had been raised about the lack of any mention of a mechanism for oversight from the Security Council, a future role for the Palestinian Authority and details about the ISF’s mandate.

On Monday, US mediator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire.

Netanyahu said Israel would enforce the ceasefire in Gaza as well as one in Lebanon with an “iron fist”.