Netanyahu’s veto: The Peace Council that cannot bite |
Nothing about Donald Trump’s invitation for Benjamin Netanyahu to join the proposed ‘Peace Council’ for Gaza changes the Israeli prime minister’s calculations. Netanyahu, accustomed to disregarding international resolutions, does not view any multilateral framework as anything more than a piece of paper he can ignore or tear apart without consequence, no matter how many states sign on.
The irony is stark: the invitation arrived only months after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024, charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Yet Washington presented him as a partner in ‘peace’ without hesitation.
Even Steve Witkoff’s announcement that ’20 or 25 world leaders’ had agreed to join the council does little to shift the balance. Large numbers do not intimidate or persuade Netanyahu. He knows that real power lies not in diplomatic headcounts, but in controlling the ground.
READ: Ali Shaath begins duties as head of Gaza administration committee, signs mission statement
The proposed ‘International Peace Council’ is not a technical mechanism for post-war administration. It is an attempt to redefine who has the right to determine Gaza’s future. Strikingly, the council’s charter does not mention Gaza at all, suggesting that the enclave is merely a pilot project........