US warns of "grave consequences" if UN fails to back Gaza peace plan

A spokesperson for the US mission to the UN stated that "attempts to sow discord" around Washington’s resolution would lead to "grave, tangible, and entirely avoidable consequences" for Palestinians in Gaza, particularly if the current ceasefire breaks down and Israel resumes its assault.

The US mission formally circulated its draft resolution to the 15 UNSC members last week for negotiation.

Key Elements of the US Draft Resolution

The US draft resolution, which seeks to establish a framework for peace following a two-year conflict pause, includes several key provisions:

• Transitional Governance: It would authorize a two-year mandate running until the end of 2027 for a transitional governance body in Gaza, known as the "Board of Peace," which Trump would chair.

• Stabilization Force: It would authorize member states to form a "temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)" to work on the "permanent decommissioning of weapons from non-state armed groups" in Gaza, protect civilians, and secure humanitarian aid corridors.

• Security and Demilitarization: The ISF would also work with Israel, Egypt, and newly trained Palestinian police to secure border areas and demilitarize the enclave. Trump has ruled out sending US troops into the proposed 20,000-strong force.

• Future Statehood: Unlike previous drafts, the latest iteration references a possible future Palestinian state, saying "conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood" once the Palestinian Authority (PA) carries out requested reforms.

The resolution adds that "The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous coexistence." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism that the resolution would be adopted, citing "good progress" in negotiations.

Counter-Proposal and Reservations

Despite broad support for a "Board of Peace" among UNSC members, there remain serious questions regarding the lack of any mention of an oversight mechanism for the body, the PA’s future role, or concrete details about the ISF’s mandate.

Challenging Washington’s draft, Russia presented the council with its own "counter-proposal" on Gaza on Thursday. Russia stated that the objective of its draft is "to enable the Security Council to develop a balanced, acceptable, and unified approach toward achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities."

Discussions about contributions to the ISF have been held with countries including Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and Azerbaijan, but reservations remain due to fears that soldiers could come into direct conflict with Hamas.

The current situation follows an announcement by Trump on October 8 that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his 20-point peace plan, pausing the two-year conflict and facilitating the exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners, a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the entry of some humanitarian aid. However, the US mission noted the "fragile" nature of the current ceasefire, pointing to repeated Israeli violations.