A body set up to govern Gaza under a US-backed plan is considering granting itself broad legal immunity, according to a draft resolution reported by the Guardian.
The document, described as “sensitive but unclassified”, would shield members of the so-called Board of Peace, its administrative arm and associated personnel from “any arrest, detention or legal proceedings” within Gaza, the newspaper said.
The proposed immunity would extend beyond board members to include international military forces, contractors and Palestinian administrators involved in reconstruction efforts.
It remains unclear whether the provisions would apply only within Gaza or also attempt to limit exposure to international courts.
The Guardian reported that the draft would also allow the body to use public premises and facilities in Gaza “free of charge”, without specifying who would authorise such arrangements or under what conditions.
A US official denied that any such framework had been adopted, stating: “There is no operative resolution or immunity framework of the kind described.”
The same official added that “any suggestion that this process is designed to create lawlessness or impunity is wrong”.
Legal experts cited by the Guardian warned that the proposal could undermine accountability.
“It looks like an attempt to exempt the board, and all of its personnel, from accountability for potential legal violations,” said Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, an expert in international humanitarian law.
Noura Erakat, a law professor at Rutgers University, said the plan risked creating a parallel legal system. “They are basically saying there’s no external oversight, including applicable international law regarding occupation,” she said.
The draft includes provisions for handling claims related to “property loss or damage and for personal injury, illness or death” through internal mechanisms run by the board.
Lawyers said this raised questions about how disputes involving civilians would be resolved and whether victims would have access to independent legal recourse.
“By unilaterally declaring the power to seize Palestinian land, property and buildings for their own use without consent, compensation or redress, the Board of Peace is taking a page out of Israel’s repressive playbook,” said Omar Shakir, executive director at Dawn, a non-profit dedicated to investigating the impacts of US foreign policy in the Middle East.
“Far from signaling an end to genocide, apartheid and occupation, this document suggests entrenching some of its ugliest signature characteristics. This risks not only complicity, but direct perpetration of grave abuses,” he added.
Contractors involved in the project have also sought clarity on legal protections, as reconstruction plans involve rubble clearance, security operations and large-scale development schemes.
The absence of a formal “status of forces agreement” governing foreign personnel in Gaza could complicate liability and jurisdiction issues, the report said.
The Board of Peace, led by former US president Donald Trump and including senior figures such as Jared Kushner and Marco Rubio, was authorised by the UN Security Council to oversee Gaza’s administration until December 2027.
Funding commitments have been pledged but major contracts have yet to be issued, according to the Guardian.
The draft resolution has not been shared with Palestinian officials involved in governance plans, the newspaper reported, and it is unclear who would ultimately endorse or enforce the measures.
Meanwhile, Board of Peace technocrats will be meeting in Cyprus on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss next steps on Gaza.
Source: The Guardian
