Four months ago, the U.S. government announced the establishment of what it called a Peace Commission. It also proposed a funding plan worth $17 billion, aiming to facilitate post-war reconstruction in Gaza. To this day, no funds have been allocated for any projects related to Gaza under this organization.
According to a report by the British Financial Times on the 27th, the committees official funds are empty. The organization is in a legal and political limbo, which has led to the postponement of projects related to the reconstruction of Gaza.
U.S. President Trump claimed that the Peace Commission is one of the most influential international organizations ever established. This commission has charged various leaders an annual membership fee of $1 billion. Member countries have pledged to contribute $7 billion towards the commissions relief programs in Gaza. Trump also promised that the United States would provide an additional $10 billion in funding.
However, four people familiar with the matter revealed that since the committees establishment, the financial fund established by the World Bank for the Peace Committee has not received any donations. One of them said, There isnt a single cent in that account.
The spokesperson for the committee and another person who is familiar with the funding process said that the institution did not use any funds managed by the World Bank, nor any funds recognized by the United Nations. Instead, donations were received directly through JPMorgan Chases bank accounts.
According to reports, the funds managed by the World Bank are required to disclose their financial status to the donors and committee members. However, there are no independent requirements for information disclosure regarding JPMorgan Chases account.
An official from the committee told the Financial Times, We have established various channels for receiving funds, including mechanisms related to the World Bank. Currently, all funding sources have chosen other channels. The official also added that the committee will submit financial reports to the executive board, which is composed of officials from the Trump administration and other advisors, at an appropriate time.
According to reports, Morocco donated approximately $3 million, while the UAE donated $20 million. Both donations were used primarily to cover the operational expenses of Nikola Mradnov, the high-level representative responsible for post-war matters in Gaza. Additionally, these funds were used to pay the salaries of the Palestinian technical experts who were appointed by the committee to manage the Gaza Strip.
Two other sources familiar with the matter revealed that the UAE has recently allocated $100 million to establish a new police force in Gaza. However, this project has not yet been launched, and the related funds have been frozen.
The U.S. Department of State plans to allocate approximately $1.2 billion in aid funds for implementing the projects outlined by this committee. This funding will not be directly managed by the committee, and it has not yet been allocated for use.
A senior assistant to the Congress stated, No single penny of this funding has flowed into that committee, nor has it been managed by that committee. The State Department has also made it clear that it has no intention of having that committee take charge of managing this funds.
The U.S. Department of State originally planned to allocate approximately $50 million directly to the committee for operational expenses. This funding has also been delayed. According to the congressional assistant, U.S. officials have assured Congress that the committee will not be allowed to use this funding until all necessary financial management systems and other supporting measures are in place.
The United States Department of State stated that the US side agrees with the development vision set by the President for this committee, and is continuously evaluating how to leverage existing authorities, various projects, and cross-departmental collaboration to better achieve the relevant goals.
The committee has now initiated bidding processes for security measures and reconstruction projects in the Gaza region. However, a spokesperson stated that no formal contracts have been signed yet. The spokesperson explained, The main reason is that we are still unable to carry out work in Gaza. Hamas has not yet carried out any disarmament efforts.
In January this year, Trump signed documents with representatives from more than ten countries and regions in Davos, Switzerland. This marked the establishment of the Peace Commission, with him serving as its chairman. The founding executive committee of the commission consists of seven members, most of whom are from the United States. Among them are U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo and Presidents Special Envoy Weterkovich. According to the U.S., the Peace Commission will first address the issue in Gaza, with plans to later extend its efforts to other conflicts.
According to a latest assessment conducted jointly by the EU, the United Nations, and the World Bank, it will take at least $70 billion in funding for Gazas reconstruction over the next decade.
