By Yang Tianzi
The “Peace Committee” initiative led by U.S. President Donald Trump has recently drawn widespread attention in the international community. According to a newly released joint statement, seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt, have formally announced they will join this new international organization. Initially perceived as a body aimed at assisting the end of the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and overseeing post-war reconstruction, the proposed charter appears to extend far beyond its original scope, even assuming certain functions traditionally held by the United Nations.
Seven countries agree to join Trump’s Peace Committee
According to the joint statement, seven predominantly Muslim countries—Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Qatar—have agreed to join Trump’s Peace Committee. These countries will join Israel, which had previously confirmed its participation, as members of the organization. This combination carries significant geopolitical weight, covering major Arab nations in the Middle East as well as Asian countries with large Muslim populations.
Representing the seven nations, Saudi Arabia issued a statement expressing support for the committee’s objectives: “to consolidate a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, promote reconstruction, and advance just and lasting peace.” This indicates that, despite external doubts regarding the committee’s specific functions, these key regional players view participation in the Trump-led initiative as a potentially viable path toward resolving the Gaza issue.
The involvement of these countries provides the Peace Committee with crucial regional representation. Saudi Arabia, as a leading figure in the Islamic world, lends substantial regional influence. Turkey and Qatar, which previously participated with Egypt and the U.S. in brokering the ceasefire agreement that took effect last October, bring considerable diplomatic experience in the Middle East. Egypt, bordering Israel and maintaining close ties with Palestine, has long played a central role in the Middle East peace process. Indonesia and Pakistan, two of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority countries, contribute broader international representation to the committee.
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Divergence between Putin and Trump’s statements
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin had also agreed to join the Peace Committee. Trump stated, “He was invited, and he accepted. Many have accepted the invitation.” This suggested that the committee was gaining broad international support.
However, Russia’s response was more cautious. Reuters reported that Putin quickly clarified that Russia is still “studying” the invitation and has not made a final decision. He also stated that Russia is prepared to provide $1 billion in funding from “frozen Russian assets” and emphasized that the committee’s main focus is the Middle East.
This difference in tone highlights potential challenges for the new international organization in achieving global consensus. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia’s participation would be important for the committee’s legitimacy and effectiveness, but tensions between Russia and Western countries may influence its ultimate decision.
Peace Committee structure
According to a leaked document, the Peace Committee is designed as a treaty-based international organization, whose charter comes into effect when at least three countries formally agree to be bound by it.
Notably, the charter states that countries contributing $1 billion in donations may receive permanent seats, raising questions about fairness and representation.
The charter declares the Peace Committee an international organization with a “peacebuilding function” under international law. Trump will serve as both chair and U.S. representative, with the authority to appoint members of the executive committee and to create or dissolve subsidiary bodies. This concentration of power contrasts with the collective decision-making typically seen in international organizations.
Last Friday, the White House announced the seven founding executive committee members, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Wittkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Former UN Middle East envoy Nikolay Mladenov was appointed the committee’s Gaza representative, overseeing the second phase of Gaza reconstruction, which includes rebuilding and demilitarization. The committee’s term runs through the end of 2027.
International reactions
The Peace Committee initiative has elicited varied responses internationally. Beyond the confirmed member states, countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Vietnam have signed related agreements, indicating growing international support.
Canada and the UK, though reportedly invited, have yet to publicly respond.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed on Wednesday that the Pope has received an invitation but stated that time is needed to consider participation. As a global entity with unique moral authority, Vatican involvement could lend additional moral weight and international recognition to the committee.
Current status of the Gaza ceasefire
The creation of the Peace Committee is directly linked to the prolonged Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Under the first phase of the peace plan, Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, a prisoner and hostage exchange, partial Israeli troop withdrawal, and increased delivery of humanitarian aid.
However, the ceasefire faces serious challenges. Israel has stated that the second phase can only begin after Hamas returns the remains of the last deceased hostages. The second phase faces many obstacles: Hamas has previously refused to disarm before the establishment of a Palestinian state, and Israel has not committed to a full withdrawal from Gaza.
The ceasefire itself remains fragile. According to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, more than 460 Palestinians have died in Israeli airstrikes since the ceasefire took effect, while the Israeli military reported three soldiers killed by Palestinians in the same period. These figures indicate that despite the ceasefire, violence in Gaza has not fully stopped.
The war was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, which according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health has caused over 71,550 deaths.