Among the objectives set by U.S. President Donald Trump for the “Peace Council” he chairs and the implementation of the plan’s second phase for Gaza, there is enough ambiguity to allow Israel to find various excuses for not moving forward.

Trump justified the creation of the “Peace Council,” unveiled yesterday in Davos, Switzerland, by claiming that the United Nations has failed to fulfill its mandate to resolve global conflicts. He also repeated his assertion that he has halted eight wars worldwide since returning to the White House a year ago, despite inaccuracies in the claim. No war occurred between Serbia and Kosovo, nor between Egypt and Ethiopia, where tensions remain limited to disputes over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Additionally, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has denied any role for Trump in preventing last year’s tensions with Pakistan.

What matters here is that the idea of the “Peace Council” was part of Trump’s U.S. plan for Gaza, announced in September last year. The world was surprised, however, when Trump unveiled the council last week and shifted its focus from its original mission, issuing a charter for resolving global conflicts while mentioning Gaza only in two subsidiary councils.

Israel accepted Trump’s invitation to join the “Peace Council” because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shares the U.S. President’s skepticism toward the United Nations and its institutions. Netanyahu has previously accused the international body of becoming a bastion of antisemitism, citing General Assembly resolutions calling for a halt to the war in Gaza and for the facilitation of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.

A Palestinian child fills a bowl with water next to refugee tents in Gaza City. (AFP)

Israel’s hostility toward the United Nations has extended beyond its refusal to comply with resolutions to actively targeting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Israel made unproven claims that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas’s attack on the Gaza border on October 7, 2023. Israeli security forces even raided UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, evacuating staff before bulldozers demolished the building. This occurred despite an October 2025 ruling by the International Court of Justice stating that “Israel is obliged to facilitate” the agency’s work and protect its property.

Since the announcement of the “Peace Council,” its founding council, and the “Executive Council for Gaza,” Israel has intensified its ceasefire violations in Gaza. On Tuesday, it expanded its control zone in Khan Yunis, and on Wednesday, 11 Palestinians were killed, including three journalists working for the Egyptian Relief Committee. Israel continues to block the opening of the Rafah crossing until the body of its last prisoner is returned and conditions its approval of the international stabilization force on a mandate to disarm Hamas and destroy its tunnels.

Now, Netanyahu is picking from the “Peace Council” what suits him—chiefly confronting and sidelining the United Nations—once again aligning closely with Trump.

As for Gaza, the very focus of this new global framework, it has effectively been sidelined, replaced by attention to Greenland, Ukraine, and numerous other international disputes.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Annahar.