THE Board of Peace proposed by US president Donald Trump threatens to erase Palestinian rights and undermine their struggle for liberation, while constituting an unprecedented land grab in Gaza - human rights activist Charles Santiago said.
Santiago described the proposed initiative as fundamentally undemocratic and driven by geopolitical and economic interests rather than genuine peace-building.
“The structure of the board lacks any form of democratic accountability. Trump is the chair, and he is chair for life. He gets to choose his successor. How is that democratic? It makes no sense at all,” the former lawmaker said.
Santiago further alleged that countries were coerced into joining the initiative through economic pressure.
“Countries were forced to join under the threat of punitive trade tariffs. Such an approach is a violation of national sovereignty and multilateral principles,” he said.
Questioning the intent behind the proposal, Santiago pointed to the ongoing devastation in Palestine, where civilians have been killed and infrastructure destroyed, yet no meaningful political solution has been pursued.
He accused Trump of seeking to commercially redevelop Gaza, describing reported plans to transform the territory into a luxury “riviera” as deeply offensive and disconnected from the humanitarian reality on the ground.
“He thinks Gaza is a property and a business matter. Countries are even being asked to contribute up to one billion dollars to be part of the board. These financial demands clearly highlight the initiative’s commercial nature rather than any real commitment to peace or reconstruction,” Santiago said.
Last Thursday, it was reported that the proposed board has been met with scepticism from several traditional US allies, with concerns over its mandate and membership leading some nations to decline participation.
A senior US administration official, speaking anonymously under White House ground rules, said 35 countries had agreed to join the board, while 60 nations had been invited. Trump has suggested that the Board of Peace could eventually replace some functions of the United Nations, though he stopped short of confirming such an outcome.
Norway, Sweden, and France have declined participation, citing concerns that the initiative could undermine the authority of the United Nations.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the board’s mandate was too broad and risked disrupting the international order.
Santiago stressed that Palestinians urgently need humanitarian assistance, including food, aid, and security, rather than externally imposed governance structures. He also questioned the legitimacy of the board given the absence of Palestinian representation.
“Where are the Palestinians in this Board of Peace?” he asked. “They must have a say because it is their land.”
He characterised the proposal as a coordinated land grab by the US and Israel, warning that it could transfer Palestinian land and political agency into the hands of wealthy elites, effectively ending the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
“The board makes no sense as a peace mechanism, given its lack of democracy and moral legitimacy,” Santiago said. – January 29, 2026
