BIG boost to Trump Gaza peace plan as UNSC endorses proposal, approves ‘stabilisation force’ and…

Trump Gaza Peace Plan: In a major boost to US President Doland Trump’s Gaza peace plan, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has adopted a US-drafted resolution endorsing Trump’s ‘Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict’, and also authorized the setting up of an international stabilisation force (ISF) to be stationed in the enclave.

UNSC endorses Trump Gaza peace plan

The UNSC resolution also welcomed the establishment of a ‘Board of Peace’ (BoP) for Gaza, which is being described as a “transitional administration” with international legal personality that will set the framework and coordinate funding for the enclave’s reconstruction under the plan.

The 15-nation UNSC adopted the resolution on Monday evening with 13 votes in favour, none against, and abstentions by China and Russia. The vote comes a day before Doland Trump is scheduled to host Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.

What was Trump’s response?

Meanwhile, reacting to the UN endorsement of his peace plan for Gaza, Doland Trump, in a social media post, described it as “a moment of true historic proportion”.

“It will go down as one of the biggest approvals in the History of the United Nations, will lead to further Peace all over the World,” Trump wrote, as he congratulated the “world” on the “incredible vote” in the Council that acknowledged and endorsed the Board of Peace, which he said will be chaired by him, and will “include the most powerful and respected Leaders throughout the world”.

UN Secretary-General urges all parties to abide

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the adoption of the resolution on Gaza is an “important step” in the consolidation of the ceasefire, urging all parties to abide by it.

In a statement, Guterres commended the continued diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, the US, and regional states and underlined the importance of moving towards the second phase of the US plan, leading to a political process aimed at achieving a two-state solution.

“It is essential now to translate the diplomatic momentum into concrete and urgently needed steps on the ground,” the UN statement said, adding that the organisation is committed to scaling up humanitarian aid and supporting efforts to advance the next phase of the ceasefire.

Why Russia abstained?

Meanwhile, Russia’s Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia criticised the resolution as “yet another pig in a poke”, saying the Council was effectively placing Gaza “at the mercy” of the Board of Peace and the stabilisation force “whose working methods are still unknown”.

The Russian diplomate warned that the document must not become a “smokescreen for unbridled experiments by the US and Israel”, nor “turn into a death sentence for the two-state solution”.

What is the Trump Gaza peace plan?

On September 29, Doland Trump, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had unveiled his 20-point ‘Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict’ to end the Israel-Gaza war, under which Gaza Strip is to be temporarily governed by a Palestinian technocratic government, with no role for Hamas, and Israel will not annex the enclave.

Trump’s plan, which claims the “war will immediately end” if both sides agree to the proposal, calls for for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip followed by a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region, and the complete disarmament of Hamas.

Under the plan, Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed-upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.

Further, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.

The plan also proposes a “Trump economic development plan” to rebuild Gaza, drawing on experts who have developed modern cities in the Middle East, and envisions a special economic zone with “preferred tariff and access rates”, and says “no one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return”.

“We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza,” the plan states.

(With PTI inputs)