00:00Days after the UN
00:27backed a new U.S.-led plan for Gaza, a powerful and controversial body has quietly taken shape.
00:35It's called the Board of Peace, and dozens of countries, including many Muslim-majority nations,
00:42are already on board. But why are they joining, and at what cost? Let's break this down.
00:49The Board of Peace was announced in early 2026 by U.S. President Donald Trump as part of his
00:5820-point comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. The plan has U.N. approval, but the
01:05execution is very much U.S.-led. The board is chaired by Trump himself. It acts as a supervisory
01:13panel of global leaders overseeing Gaza's transition from war to ceasefire, then demilitarization,
01:21technocratic governance, and finally reconstruction. Permanent membership reportedly comes with a $1
01:28billion fee. Critics say this could rival the U.N. Trump says it will work with the U.N., not replace
01:35it. For now, nearly 60 countries have joined or shown interest, and that includes key Muslim
01:43majority nations—Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Kazakhstan,
01:53and more. At the same time, countries like France, Norway, and Sweden have refused to join, citing
02:01concerns over cost, power concentration, and legitimacy. So why are Muslim countries, many of whom openly condemn
02:10Israel's actions in Gaza, still participating? Because strategy is outweighing ideology.
02:18First, regional stability. Uncontrolled Gaza means refugees, extremism, and spillover instability.
02:27Second, money and influence, reconstruction contracts, development funding, a seat at the table
02:34shaping post-war Gaza. Third, control over governance. The board oversees a technocratic administration,
02:42deliberately sidelining Hamas. Most governments distinguish between supporting Palestinian rights
02:49and supporting Hamas, which they see as a security threat at home. Publicly, these governments condemn
02:56Israel. Privately, they avoid sanctions, boycotts, or cutting ties. Why? Because of U.S. alliances,
03:05Iran containment, and expanding deals under the Abraham Accords, which Trump is now aggressively
03:12expanding again. Trump's role here is decisive. He is using U.S. leverage, weapons, defense
03:20attacks, sanctions relief to shape Gaza's future. Israeli security comes first. Palestinian sovereignty,
03:27critics argue, comes second. Arab states want security guarantees and regional leadership.
03:34Non-Arab Muslim countries want influence, economic access, and symbolic solidarity,
03:40without breaking ties with Washington. So is participation forced or voluntary?
03:46The answer is both. Consensual for elites, pressured by power. And the Board of Peace may end up
03:54redefining not just Gaza's future, but how global conflicts are managed in a U.S.-dominated world.
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