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Board of Peace meeting
President Donald Trump convened the inaugural meeting of his self-styled "Board of Peace" in Washington on Feb. 19, 2026, bringing together about two dozen to forty countries as he positioned the body to oversee Gaza reconstruction and a wider global conflict-resolution agenda.
“President Trump on Feb. 19, 2026 convened the inaugural meeting of his new “Board of Peace” at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., an initiative he says will pursue progress on Gaza and broader global conflicts.”
The meeting was staged at the U.S. Institute of Peace and featured a conspicuous, campaign-style opening: Trump handed out red "USA" caps and his U.S. delegation included Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner.
Supporters framed the initiative as a faster, private-sector driven alternative to traditional diplomacy, while several long-standing U.S. partners stayed away or expressed reservations about the board's broad remit.
Gaza reconstruction pledges
The summit foregrounded money, but sources disagree sharply on how much has been pledged and by whom.
WJCT and Oz Arab Media report that member states and the U.S. have committed roughly $5 billion for Gaza reconstruction.
WJCT noted that Trump said member states had already pledged $5 billion.
Independent Journal Review and DIE WELT report larger and conflicting figures, with IJR saying more than $5 billion was reportedly pledged and that Trump would announce a multi-billion dollar plan.
DIE WELT quotes Trump saying nine members committed $7 billion and that he announced a $10 billion U.S. contribution without specifying how that U.S. money will be used.
Board of Peace debate
A central fault line in coverage is whether the Board of Peace sidelines established multilateral institutions and excludes Palestinian representation.
“Western allies have expressed unease about a new reconstruction board, warning it could sideline the UN and noting that no Palestinian representative is included.”
Several outlets warn the board risks creating a parallel mechanism that could weaken the United Nations and that Palestinians lack direct representation on the board.
Oz Arab Media reports Western allies’ unease that the board could sideline the UN and notes that no Palestinian representative is included.
DIE WELT and Tampa Free Press also document allies’ refusals.
PBS reports U.S. diplomats defended the Board while nearly all U.N. Security Council members condemned recent Israeli land‑regulation measures, highlighting diplomatic friction between the U.S.-led board and traditional multilateral bodies.
Attendees and legal concerns
Coverage highlights controversial attendees and legal questions about legitimizing leaders accused of serious crimes.
Independent Journal Review notes that several allies with authoritarian reputations, including Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Argentina’s Javier Milei, attended while many traditional European partners stayed away.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined reluctantly because the meeting included Qatari and Turkish leaders who supported Hamas.
Muslim Network TV says critics condemned Trump’s invitations to Netanyahu and Russian President Putin, calling them 'both subject to ICC arrest warrants' and warning the move risks legitimizing leaders accused of war crimes and undermining international humanitarian law.
Obstacles to Gaza rebuilding
Observers and analysts are deeply skeptical that the Board can rebuild Gaza without a political path that halts what some sources call systematic killing.
“the board’s success hinges on resolving underlying political disputes, securing firm commitments from member states, and pressuring Israel to respect ceasefires...”
Oz Arab Media and other analysts stress the board's success "hinges on resolving underlying political disputes, securing firm commitments from member states, and pressuring Israel to respect ceasefires so rebuilding can occur in a stable environment."
Muslim Network TV goes further, explicitly saying that both the Trump and Biden administrations used UN vetoes to block resolutions calling for an end to the "Gaza genocide," and it warns that invitations to leaders under ICC scrutiny undermine international law.
DIE WELT and international institutions signal the scale of the task — the U.N., World Bank and EU estimate Gaza's rebuilding will cost roughly $70 billion, leaving a large funding gap that the Board's pledges do not close.