Gaza Herald_Amid ongoing proposals to establish what is being described as a “Trusteeship Council” or “Peace Council” to govern the Gaza Strip in the post-war phase, political thinker and researcher Dr. Osama al-Ashqar offers a critical analytical reading of the project. He warns of its political and security risks, questioning whether it can provide a genuine solution to the conflict or address the root causes of the crisis.
Security Dimension and the Priority of Disarmament
According to al-Ashqar, the primary and central task of any proposed trusteeship council would be the disarmament of local forces, whether through negotiated arrangements or coercive measures. This would be accompanied by the dismantling of structures that have functioned as deterrence mechanisms against the occupation, and the creation of a new security apparatus operating under the supervision of what is referred to as an “international stabilization force.”
He argues that this approach reflects a fundamental distortion in the definition of security, where the security of the occupying power is prioritized at the expense of the safety, rights, and needs of the Palestinian population.
Administrative Committee and the Absence of a Political Framework
Al-Ashqar strongly criticises the idea of appointing an administrative committee composed of technocrats with no political mandate or clear political background. He stresses that removing politics from the administration of a besieged territory does not constitute neutrality, but rather entrenches the crisis and reproduces it.
In his view, the absence of a political vision reduces governance to the management of daily emergencies, stripping it of the capacity to address structural causes or offer sustainable solutions.
Pressures of the Local Reality
Al-Ashqar notes that such a committee would face immense social and living pressures amid widespread destruction and growing humanitarian needs, while lacking both decision-making authority and protective mechanisms. He adds that a trusteeship council expected to be dominated by the United States would not allow genuine independence in governance, placing the committee in confrontation with the local population—a scenario likely to result in failure and loss of legitimacy.
He interprets the inclusion of Arab and Islamic countries in the proposed governing framework as an attempt to neutralise these actors and provide the project with regional cover, while simultaneously burdening them with the consequences of decisions that ultimately serve the interests of dominant powers.
Al-Ashqar argues that these states would be pushed into playing a role that merely softens US policy, without possessing real influence over decision-making processes.
Despite his critical stance, al-Ashqar does not rule out the existence of limited positive aspects. Among them is the potential relief of the population from the harsh burdens of daily administration, the fact that the proposed committee would be composed of people from Gaza itself, and the possibility that even a temporary civilian administration could signal a partial return of public life.
Risks of the “Stabilization Force”
Al-Ashqar warns that any stabilization force lacking a clear legal and UN mandate, and failing to secure broad societal acceptance, risks transforming into a tool of domination rather than one of security. Such a scenario, he cautions, could open the door to internal friction and uncontrolled escalation.
He also highlights the absence of any serious treatment of continued military interventions and assassination policies, meaning that the state of tension would persist, and security volatility would remain high. This, he argues, stems from a biased definition of security that disregards Palestinian safety and fundamental rights.
Drawing on past experiences, al-Ashqar casts doubt on the feasibility of the proposed reconstruction pathway, given Israel’s control over materials, routes, and mechanisms. He believes this renders any reconstruction effort vulnerable to rapid collapse and erodes public trust in its prospects for success.
A Project Without the Foundations of Peace
Al-Ashqar concludes that the proposed project offers disarmament without a political settlement, reconstruction without guarantees, and no clear commitment to lifting the blockade. As such, it amounts to a symbolic or superficial peace lacking the foundations for sustainability.
In summary, Dr. Osama al-Ashqar views the trusteeship or “Peace Council” as a new model for managing the conflict rather than resolving it. Without a comprehensive political vision or a clear sovereign horizon, he argues, the project is likely to be temporary, with outcomes that closely resemble the failures of similar past experiments.
