Trump to be able to appoint officials to Gaza via Board of Peace - report

The Board of Peace has developed a plan granting U.S. President Donald Trump virtually unlimited powers to govern the Gaza Strip, The New York Times reported, citing a draft resolution.

According to the document, Trump, as the board’s chairman, would be able to appoint senior officials to administer the enclave, including a high representative and the commander of international peacekeeping forces. The draft also grants the president the authority to approve or suspend any resolutions under emergency conditions.

"The Board of Peace will coordinate the reconstruction of Gaza, an immense project that is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars and take years, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid there," the newspaper reported.

The daily said that in November the UN Security Council granted the Board of Peace an appropriate mandate. However, U.S. allies such as France, the UK, and Spain refused to join the body, criticizing it for operating outside the UN framework and excluding Palestine from the peace process.

On January 22, representatives of 19 countries signed the charter establishing the Board of Peace for Gaza during a ceremony held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.