Board of Peace meeting

2026-02-20 - 22:03

US President Donald Trump on Thursday promised $10 billion and Muslim-majority nations offered funding and troops for Gaza at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington. Pakistan, however, was not named among the five nations who have committed troops for the International Stabilization Force, which will be tasked with securing reconstruction zones and supporting a post-conflict governance arrangement in Gaza. The high profile maiden meeting of the Board of Peace is yet another reflection of Pakistan playing its diplomatic cards wisely and in a balancing manner. The remarks that the US President made about Pakistan Prime Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff also confirmed this belief. There were concerns among some circles in Pakistan that the country was going to join the Stabilization Force under pressure from the United States but that didn’t happen and instead Pakistan has adopted a policy of wait and see to determine the exact model and mandate of the force before making any decision. There were reports before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed in Washington to attend the inaugural moot of the Board that Pakistan will seek clarifications about the role and responsibilities of the Force. The speech that the Prime Minister delivered at the forum also highlighted the principle-based approach of the country on issues relating to the Middle-East conflict. The prime minister reiterated that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state is essential for achieving a durable peace in the Middle East. He said Pakistan has consistently supported a just and lasting solution based on international principles. The PM underscored the importance of ending ceasefire violations in Gaza, describing it as “very important” for achieving lasting peace in the war-torn strip. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi also explained Pakistan’s position in an unambiguous manner by asserting that Islamabad will play a role in efforts to promote peace in Gaza but will not be part of any initiative to disarm Hamas. The meeting of the Board of Peace was aimed at making preparations for the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, which envisages disarming Hamas and the process of reconstruction of the area devastated by over two years of bombing by Israel. Reconstruction should be a priority and within this process rehabilitation of the population uprooted by savage bombing should be the focus but there are indications of hurdles in realization of this cause. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday there would be no reconstruction of war-shattered Gaza before the disarmament of Hamas, adding his proposition has the backing of the United States. US officials including Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s friend and roving negotiator, have insisted that solid progress is being made and that Hamas is feeling pressure to give up weapons. Hamas has so far resisted the pressure and instead demands the role of the Stabilization Force should be confined to monitoring ceasefire violations by the Jewish state and smooth reconstruction. The force will start shaping up soon as its American commander Major General Jasper Jeffers said that Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Kosovo were also sending troops and announced that an Indonesian officer would serve as his deputy. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, earlier said it was ready to send 8,000 troops — nearly half of the 20,000 sought and Morocco said it will send police as well as officers to the force. As for contributions for reconstruction, the United States has announced $10 billion while Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates each promised at least $1 billion. Meanwhile, President Trump used the peace platform to increase pressure on Iran, warning that Tehran has no more than 10 to 15 days to strike a “meaningful” nuclear deal with the US or face “really bad things”. This is unfortunate as Iran announced the two sides agreed on the ‘guiding principles’ during their second round of talks in Geneva. President Trump must listen to the will of the international community that is opposed to the use of force for resolution of disputes and differences.