WASHINGTON, 23 Feb. - (ANA) - On Friday, US President Donald Trump's new Board of Peace convened for the first time with the stated aim of addressing the situation in Gaza, as well as the West Bank. 

 

The session, attended by Israel and Ali Sha'ath the head of the new Palestinian National Committee for Gaza , drew immediate attention not for what was discussed, but for who was absent. 

 

Key Palestinian actors, notably the Palestinian Authority and Hamas as well as other factions, were missing, leaving ordinary Palestinians and analysts doubting whether the Board could genuinely address the region's core challenges.

 

Speaking to The New Arab, Palestinian political analysts said that the Board of Peace is like drafting a treatment plan for a patient without allowing them to express their needs, while questioning whether its decisions will have any effect on the ground.

 

Mustafa Ibrahim, a Gaza-based political analyst, told TNA, "Excluding legitimate Palestinian actors at this stage is not a procedural issue, it is a political mistake that could deepen already existing internal divisions and further erode public trust in any future decisions." 

 

He said that Palestinian society is already grappling with fragmentation between political factions, geographic separation between Gaza and the West Bank, and widespread public frustration. 

 

"When people see major decisions being discussed without those who claim to represent them, it reinforces the perception that their political system is being sidelined and that their voice does not matter," he added.

 

Ibrahim stressed that legitimacy is central to the success of any political initiative. "If the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and other influential factions are not meaningfully involved, any outcomes will struggle to gain acceptance on the ground. Agreements cannot simply be announced and expected to function automatically. They require political ownership, and ownership comes from participation."

 

He emphasized that "solutions without real Palestinian involvement are imposed, not negotiated," adding that imposed arrangements tend to collapse under pressure. 

 

"History has shown that frameworks lacking inclusive representation often face rejection, whether politically or at the grassroots level. If the aim is stability and long-term calm, then genuine Palestinian participation is not optional, it is essential," he explained. 

 

Hussam Al-Dajani, another analyst based in Gaza, stressed the psychological and social dimension of exclusion. 

 

"Palestinians feel they are merely observers, not decision-makers," he told TNA. "Israel's direct representation while the Palestinian Authority and major factions are absent signals disregard for the Palestinian reality. Any agreement presented this way will face public rejection because people do not feel represented or involved." 

 

Al-Dajani also highlighted the humanitarian stakes: policies crafted without Palestinian input risk overlooking the urgent needs of residents struggling with electricity shortages, food insecurity, and access to healthcare.

 

Abdel Majid Sweilem, apolitical analyst from the West Bank, framed the issue in institutional terms. 

 

"The absence of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and other factions renders the Board illegitimate. Israel alone being present without genuine Palestinian involvement creates the impression that decisions are externally imposed, rather than products of balanced dialogue," he told TNA. 

 

Sweilem said that this dynamic makes implementation on the ground extremely difficult and risks resistance, noting that "any initiative announced by the Board will not be accepted if Palestinians themselves are not included as core negotiating parties."

 

The Palestinian National Committee for Gaza, which attended, is a temporary administrative body with limited authority. Analysts see the Board's reliance on it, combined with Israel's presence, as a move that bypasses traditional Palestinian factions and institutions. 

 

The result, they argue, is weakened legitimacy and a reduced likelihood that any peace plan could be implemented effectively.

 

From a humanitarian perspective, Palestinians pointed out that the Board's discussions did not reflect the daily realities of life under prolonged siege in Gaza or the increasing restrictions in the West Bank. 

 

Ahed Ferwana, a Gaza-based political analyst, told TNA, "Any plan drafted without Palestinians will fail to reflect daily needs, whether in food, electricity, or healthcare. Policies presented without Palestinian representation could worsen the humanitarian crisis rather than alleviate it."

 

Voices from ordinary citizens reflected a similar sense of frustration. Ayman Al-Zaarab, 34, from Gaza's Zeitoun neighbourhood, followed media coverage of the Board but found it irrelevant. 

 

"I watched the meeting on TV, but it felt like words on paper," he said. "I didn't hear anything addressing our real problems such as reconstruction of Gaza, electricity, medicine, gas supplies, or even the daily fear of bombing. The session seemed like a media show, far from providing tangible solutions."

 

Khaled Al-Salam, 28, from the Nuseirat refugee camp, did not follow the meeting at all, saying he was busy with securing his family's needs during Ramadan amid the war's aftermath. "I don't trust America, Israel, or their allies," he said. "All these meetings do not change anything on the ground. We are just trying to survive, feed our children, and get medicine."

 

He noted that Israel's sole presence suggests an effort by some international actors to pursue solutions aligned with their own interests, bypassing Palestinians entirely. 

 

The session of the "Board of Peace" has revealed fundamental challenges. Without genuine Palestinian involvement, decisions risk remaining theoretical, implementation on the ground becomes uncertain, and political and social divisions may widen. 

 

For Palestinians, the critical question persists: can a body claiming to offer solutions deliver results while excluding the very people those solutions are meant to serve?   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/23 February 2026 - - -