Did Trump Demand $1 Billion for Gaza "Peace Council" Membership Extension?

Following the leak of what is purported to be the draft charter for a Gaza "Peace Council," which includes a provision for member states to pay $1 billion to extend their membership, the White House has issued a clarification.

A Bloomberg report, citing what it described as a draft charter for the Gaza "Peace Council," stated that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that countries pay $1 billion to remain in the council, which Trump would chair. The report indicated that President Trump himself would initially head the council, and that each member state's membership would not exceed three years from the charter's effective date, and would be renewable by the president's decision.

The leaked draft, which the U.S. administration sent to about 60 countries, stipulated that the "Peace Council" charter for Gaza calls on members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they wish to extend their membership beyond three years.

According to a copy of the invitation letter and the draft charter obtained by Reuters, a country's membership would be limited to three years unless it pays $1 billion to fund the council's activities, thereby obtaining permanent membership. The document adds, according to Reuters, "The three-year membership limit does not apply to member states that contribute more than $1 billion in cash to the Peace Council during the first year of the charter's entry into force.".

The White House described the report as "misleading" and asserted that there are no minimum membership fees for joining the "Peace Council." In a statement, it said, "This simply grants permanent membership to partner nations that demonstrate a strong commitment to peace, security, and prosperity.".

The U.S. State Department also denied the report by responding to Reuters news agency's questions by referring to previous social media posts about the council published by Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff, which did not mention this figure.

In a related development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an early meeting of the War Cabinet on Sunday morning (January 18, 2018) in response to the appointments to the anticipated council. Israelis have expressed concerns about the composition of the so-called "Peace Council," viewing it as contrary to Israeli policy and noting that Israel was not consulted on its formation.

The executive council, which will oversee the administration of Gaza in the post-war phase, includes officials from Turkey and Qatar, two countries that have criticized Israeli conduct during the war in the Strip. Palestinians, meanwhile, pointed to the absence of any representation within these bodies. Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, told the BBC that the council "appears to be an American body with some international elements.".

Netanyahu's office stated that the Prime Minister had instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to inform his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, of Israel's objection to the composition of the executive council.

The White House had announced the list of names of the members who would form the new Trump administration's "Peace Council" for Gaza.

The council includes: former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, American billionaire Mark Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, U.S. National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel, and Nikolay Mladenov, the Bulgarian politician and former UN envoy to the Middle East, who will be the Peace Council's representative on the ground in Gaza.

The White House stated that each member of the "Peace Council" is expected to take on a vital portfolio "to ensure Gaza's stability.".