From free public property to arrest immunity: Trump-backed Gaza board seeks sweeping powers
A UN-sanctioned Board of Peace announced by US President Donald Trump earlier this year to govern Gaza is seeking sweeping legal immunity for its members and affiliates, according to a draft resolution obtained by The Guardian.
The draft would shield board members, the Office of the High Representative (OHR), Palestinian technocrats, international military personnel and contractors from “any arrest, detention or legal proceedings” in Gaza. It would also allow the organization to acquire public property in the territory “free of charge,” according to the four-page document, which is labeled “sensitive but unclassified.”
According to the June 2026 draft resolution, Board of Peace Chair Donald Trump would have the authority to waive an individual's legal immunity, subject to majority approval from the board.
The seven-member executive board includes Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio.
Although several countries have pledged billions of dollars to support the initiative, most of the funding has yet to be disbursed, and no major contracts for reconstruction or governance work in Gaza have been awarded.
The final section of the draft resolution, titled “Premises of the Board of Peace, OHR, and ISF,” states that the Board of Peace “shall be provided, free of charge, public premises and facilities needed for the accomplishment of the missions in Gaza.”
Legal experts said the provision could potentially pave the way for the unlawful confiscation of Palestinian public property. It remains unclear which authority, Israel, Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, would be responsible for providing the facilities, or under what legal framework they would be transferred.
According to contractors involved in the project, the Board of Peace also plans to establish a base for an international military force, along with logistics hubs to support its operations in Gaza.
The proposed international force is intended to assist in disarming Hamas, a key element of US President Donald Trump's peace plan. Israel has said it will not move forward with measures outlined in the November 2025 ceasefire agreement as long as Hamas remains armed.
The UN Security Council has authorized the Board of Peace to oversee Gaza's administration until December 31, 2027.
Under the UN Charter, UN officials and organizations are granted specific legal protections for activities carried out as part of official missions abroad. The language in the Board of Peace's draft resolution appears to mirror those existing frameworks, including immunity from arrest or detention while performing official duties and protection against the seizure of organizational property.
The draft would shield board members, the Office of the High Representative (OHR), Palestinian technocrats, international military personnel and contractors from “any arrest, detention or legal proceedings” in Gaza. It would also allow the organization to acquire public property in the territory “free of charge,” according to the four-page document, which is labeled “sensitive but unclassified.”
According to the June 2026 draft resolution, Board of Peace Chair Donald Trump would have the authority to waive an individual's legal immunity, subject to majority approval from the board.
The seven-member executive board includes Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio.
Although several countries have pledged billions of dollars to support the initiative, most of the funding has yet to be disbursed, and no major contracts for reconstruction or governance work in Gaza have been awarded.
The final section of the draft resolution, titled “Premises of the Board of Peace, OHR, and ISF,” states that the Board of Peace “shall be provided, free of charge, public premises and facilities needed for the accomplishment of the missions in Gaza.”
Legal experts said the provision could potentially pave the way for the unlawful confiscation of Palestinian public property. It remains unclear which authority, Israel, Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, would be responsible for providing the facilities, or under what legal framework they would be transferred.
According to contractors involved in the project, the Board of Peace also plans to establish a base for an international military force, along with logistics hubs to support its operations in Gaza.
The proposed international force is intended to assist in disarming Hamas, a key element of US President Donald Trump's peace plan. Israel has said it will not move forward with measures outlined in the November 2025 ceasefire agreement as long as Hamas remains armed.
The UN Security Council has authorized the Board of Peace to oversee Gaza's administration until December 31, 2027.
Under the UN Charter, UN officials and organizations are granted specific legal protections for activities carried out as part of official missions abroad. The language in the Board of Peace's draft resolution appears to mirror those existing frameworks, including immunity from arrest or detention while performing official duties and protection against the seizure of organizational property.
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