Board of Peace cannot deliver Palestinian self-determination: UN expert
Despite whatever good intentions some members may have had, the board was "wrong from the very beginning," Albanese said, because it allowed Israel to continue making excuses for its unlawful conduct in the Gaza Strip.
United Nations special rapporteur Francesca Albanese has warned that the United States-led Board of Peace will not contribute to Palestinian self-determination. Albanese, who is currently in professional engagements in Jakarta and Bali, called for Israel to be held accountable under international law. The ad hoc UN expert criticized the board from the start, stating that it allowed Israel to justify its unlawful actions in Gaza.
She emphasized that there is no positive outlook regarding the board's ability to achieve Palestinian self-determination. The board was established in January following the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire, which ended the conflict that began with Hamas' 2023 attack. Several Muslim-majority countries, including Indonesia and Jordan, are founding members.
However, Indonesia's involvement has drawn criticism due to the absence of a Palestinian mandate and US dominance over the board's decisions. Albanese also expressed concerns over Indonesia's potential deployment of troops to Gaza and a reported US$1 billion membership fee that Jakarta denies paying. While the board's intentions may have been good, Albanese maintains that it was wrong from the outset because it failed to address Israel's unlawful conduct.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
