The Gaza Strip could split in two if Donald Trump's peace plan does not make enough progress, a member of the US President's Board of Peace said on Friday.
Nickolay Mladenov's warning came as the US suggested the board could "tackle other problems" beyond Gaza, the latest hint at a broader role that could challenge the UN. Mr Mladenov, the board's high representative, told the Munich Security Conference that phase two of Mr Trump's peace plan needs to "move very fast" to avoid a return to war.
"We have to look at the plan as the only option for Gaza that stops this war and doesn't allow a return to violence," he said. "We need to understand that if we don't move quickly with the implementation of the plan, we risk a division within Gaza itself, split into two zones ... and then it will be very difficult to do anything else."
A US-brokered ceasefire came into effect in Gaza in October, after two years of fighting. Israel withdrew to an agreed line under the first phase, effectively dividing Gaza into Hamas and Israeli-controlled zones.
A second phase of the plan was launched by the US last month, which includes the formation of a Board of Peace to oversee the ceasefire and an international stabilisation force to maintain security in the enclave. It also calls for the disarmament of Hamas and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
But the ceasefire has brought little respite for Gazans, as deadly Israeli strikes continue and aid access remains limited. This has complicated progress on the peace plan and delayed the entry of a Palestinian committee that will take over running Gaza's day-to-day affairs from Hamas.
"if you put the committee in Gaza, and the violations of the ceasefire continue the way they are now, we're only embarrassing the committee and ultimately making it ineffective," said Mr Mladenov.
Palestinian representation
The Palestinian group charged with governing the enclave, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, is overseen by the Board of Peace, which was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. Chaired by Mr Trump, the board has raised questions over the lack of Palestinian representation among its members.
"We need to be around the table," said the Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Shahin in Munich. "Enough of people talking about us, implementing for us, planning for us, without us. It's about time that we speak for ourselves," she continued.
The UAE, which is a member of the Board of Peace, said it was "essential for Palestinians to have their voice, not only on the Board of Peace, but everywhere". Speaking on the same panel, Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said it was "more fair and equal" for Palestinians to be represented on the board.
'Flexibility'
While it was set up to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, the board will also have “flexibility” to widen its role to other matters, according to Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the UN. Mr Waltz said the board could “tackle other problems” if it is asked to. The board's vague mandate has raised concerns that Mr Trump, its chairman, envisages it as a rival to the UN.
The US President has repeatedly criticised the UN as biased and ineffective. Mr Waltz renewed calls for an overhaul at the Munich Security Conference, saying: “We need to put the UN on a diet.”
Asked about the role of the new board, Mr Waltz said: “The Board of Peace is absolutely focused on Gaza.” He added that “in its founding documents, the team wanted to leave flexibility to be able to tackle other problems if asked”, which led to the omission of Gaza from those documents.
The UN Security Council welcomed the board's establishment in a resolution on Gaza in November. But US officials have since suggested the board could have a broader scope. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month that it might “serve as an example of what’s possible in other parts of the world”.
