WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has threatened a 200 percent tariff on French wine and champagne in an effort to compel participation in his newly formed Board of Peace, a move that has ignited a diplomatic dispute with Paris and underscored the increasingly coercive tactics employed by the administration to secure international buy-in for its Gaza reconstruction plan.
The escalating pressure comes after the Board of Peace’s inaugural meeting in Washington on February 19, which revealed a starkly different vision for Gaza than initially presented. What was touted as a humanitarian initiative is now being characterized by critics as a corporate-style restructuring of a distressed territory, prioritizing donor control over Palestinian self-determination.
Although the Board has secured $17 billion in pledges – $10 billion from the United States and $7 billion from an Arab coalition, according to the Associated Press – the financial architecture is built on a deeply uneven playing field. Israel, a key player in the conflict, has been granted a seat on the board without contributing to the reconstruction fund, a concession confirmed by Israeli Minister Ze’ev Elkin on February 22. This arrangement, critics argue, effectively rewards Israel despite its role in the widespread destruction of Gaza, estimated at 70 million tonnes of rubble.
The United Nations estimates that rebuilding Gaza will require at least $70 billion, with an immediate $20 billion needed for baseline operations. The $17 billion pledged by the Board of Peace falls significantly short of this estimate, raising questions about the long-term viability of the reconstruction effort.
Adding to the controversy is the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), led by former Palestinian official Dr. Ali Shaath. While presented as a technocratic solution, the NCAG operates not under the authority of a Palestinian electorate or the Palestinian Authority, but rather under the guidance of a Gaza Executive Board comprised of figures like Jared Kushner and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. This structure effectively bypasses Palestinian governance and places control of Gaza’s future in the hands of external actors.
The administration’s vision for a rebuilt Gaza, outlined in the “Gaza Riviera” master plan, includes 180 skyscrapers and data centers. Critics contend this plan prioritizes real estate speculation over the fundamental needs and rights of the Gazan population, and effectively erases northern cities like Jabalya to make way for industrial parks. This spatial engineering, they argue, treats the map of Gaza as a blank slate, ignoring the importance of preserving Palestinian national identity.
Security for this new order will be provided by the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), a non-UN sanctioned body commanded by US Major General Jasper Jeffers III. Indonesia has pledged 8,000 troops to the force, slated to be deployed by June 2026. Although, the ISF’s mandate – “the establishment of a terror-free environment” – remains vague, raising concerns that the force could become a permanent occupying presence without a clear political horizon or path towards a Palestinian state, as reported by Reuters.
The Board of Peace’s approach has also sparked concerns about its broader implications for international governance. The threat of tariffs against France, and the “pay-to-play” model for participation, suggest a shift towards a more authoritarian global alignment where trade access is leveraged for diplomatic compliance. The New York Times reported in January that the board’s scope may extend beyond Gaza to address conflicts elsewhere, though the extent of that expansion remains unclear.
As the Washington summit concludes, the Board of Peace faces continued scrutiny over its governance structure, funding gaps, and the potential for its reconstruction efforts to undermine Palestinian sovereignty. The Baker Institute has identified key unresolved issues facing the board, emphasizing the essential necessitate for Palestinian, regional, and international cooperation for Gaza’s reconstruction and future governance.
