“The future of Palestine must rest in the hands of the Palestinian people,” the experts concluded, “not be dictated under conditions of coercion in yet another scheme to control their destiny.”
United Nations experts have warned that US President Donald Trump’s recently announced “peace plan” for Gaza could fuel greater injustice, violence, and instability if implemented.
In a statement on Friday, 35 independent experts of the United Nations said several provisions of the 20-point proposal were “deeply inconsistent with international law” and threatened to intensify Palestinian oppression. The plan, unveiled last week with support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was described by the experts as an attempt to impose “peace at any price, regardless of law and justice.”
The experts acknowledged some positive elements, including calls for a permanent ceasefire, the rapid release of unlawfully detained individuals, increased humanitarian aid, and assurances against forced displacement or annexation. They also welcomed the proposal for Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.
However, they raised strong objections to other aspects, such as the creation of a Trump-chaired “Board of Peace” in Gaza, which they said evoked “colonial practices” and should be rejected. They also condemned the proposal for a US-led “International Stabilisation Force,” arguing it would merely replace Israeli occupation with another form of foreign control, undermining Palestinian self-determination.
The experts further criticised provisions that would allow Israel to maintain a permanent security perimeter inside Gaza, calling this “absolutely unacceptable.” They noted that while the plan demands “de-radicalisation” of Gaza, it ignores growing anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab rhetoric in Israel.
Concerns were also raised about the offer of unconditional amnesty to Hamas, which, according to the experts, denies justice to victims of international crimes. The plan, they said, fails to address Israeli accountability for rights violations and war crimes.
Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on Palestinian territories, joined the signatories in stressing that any lasting peace must guarantee Palestinian self-determination and accountability mechanisms.
“The future of Palestine must rest in the hands of the Palestinian people,” the experts concluded, “not be dictated under conditions of coercion in yet another scheme to control their destiny.”
