The idea of constituting a “Board of Peace” for Gaa may sound benevolent, even urgent, to those watching the carnage from a distance. It appeals to the liberal imagination: technocrats around a table, former leaders with gravitas, global figures invoking reconciliation, reconstruction, and stability.

Yet beneath this humanitarian vocabulary lies a deeply flawed premise. Gaza does not suffer from a deficit of ideas, administrators, or plans. It suffers from occupation, siege, apartheid, and genocide. No board – however well branded – can substitute justice with management. Besides the plan will be carried out by a pre-dominantly a set of colonialists – Western dominated down to the bone. The formation and, thus the formulae that might emanate from it, will be racially toned and tuned, imperialist, and be tilted in Israel’s favour – and the West as a whole. The very fact that Trump has brought a white western-dominated clique suggests that a permanent and just solution will be elusive. It is futile to expect more substance coming from a senile leader and a group of people who do not have a track record of justice.

The idea is already in distress. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly criticized the US over the composition of a newly announced Gaza governing body. The entire idea simply does not align with what Netanyahu wants, and/or does not want. Netanyahu does not want Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan in the group. Just as well, an objective analyst would surmise. The question is who gave Netanyahu any authority to veto names or even propose them. 

READ: Ali Shaath begins duties as head of Gaza administration committee, signs mission statement

Like most things Trump plans for, get to be non-starters. This Gaza initiative is a non-starter by its very looks. Literally speaking, Israel and the US – with the sneaky support of Europe – lost the Gaza war. Gaza might be in the rubble, but it exists. And the Palestinian resilience will not allow it to go uncontested. This is Palestinian land. Trump has no rights to form Boards and Trusts or anything he wishes for in territory that........

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