The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on Nov. 17 on U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, after weeks of debate over the proposal and the deployment of international forces in the war-ridden Palestinian territory.
The U.S. resolution endorses Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which calls for a yet-to-be-established Board of Peace as a transitional authority that he would head. It also would authorize an international stabilization force in Gaza with a wide mandate, including overseeing the borders, providing security and demilitarizing the territory.
The force would also oversee the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip by disarming Hamas.
Days before the voting, Washington stepped up calls for U.N. consensus on its plan, as Russia circulated a rival proposal that would strip out reference to a transitional authority meant to be headed by Trump and asks the United Nations to lay out options for an international stabilization force.
The United States and eight countries that have played a role in reaching the fragile ceasefire urged “swift adoption” of the latest U.S. draft resolution by the 15-member U.N. Security Council. Just one of the eight is on the council — Pakistan.
The latest U.S. draft and the Russian proposal are both expected to be put up for a vote this week, a diplomat said, adding that the American plan could garner the nine votes needed to pass, with Russia and China likely abstaining instead of using their vetoes.
More defined rhetoric on Palestinian state
The joint statement with Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Jordan came after the U.S. faced objections last week and made changes to its U.N. proposal to include more defined language on Palestinian self-determination.
It now says that after reforms to the Palestinian Authority are “faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
Russia’s rival draft resolution includes stronger language supporting Palestinian statehood alongside Israel and stressing that the West Bank and Gaza must be joined as a state under the Palestinian Authority.
Russia’s U.N. mission said in a statement that it took the step because the U.N. Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, “should be given a rightful role and the necessary tools to ensure accountability and control.”
Meanwhile, Washinton’s revised tone on a Palestinian state triggered backlash from Israel, with several ministers and MPs expressing strong criticism.
“Israel will not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian terror state in the heart of the Land of Israel, at a negligible distance from all its population centers and with topographical control over them,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.
