In a fiery address, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas launched a blistering attack on the so-called "Peace Council" established by the Trump administration, charging that its founding charter strips out any mention of Gaza or the United Nations—a direct violation of the UN Security Council resolution that created it.
"The original goal of the UN resolution was to help the Gaza Strip, but that goal has been distorted," Kallas told a stunned audience. She pointed out that while the Security Council mandate explicitly refers to Gaza, sets a timeline until 2027, and grants Palestinians the right to participate, the Trump administration's version is "completely empty" of these guarantees.
Echoing her outrage, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares accused President Trump of trying to "bypass the UN mandate," noting that Europe—one of the main financial backers of the Palestinian Authority—has been "completely excluded" from discussions on implementing the council.
A 'Personal Slush Fund'?
The most damning accusation, however, came from across the Atlantic. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy voiced grave concerns that the council has been structured with "no guardrails" to prevent billions of dollars in reconstruction aid from flowing into the hands of Trump's friends and associates.
This fear of the Gaza reconstruction funds becoming a "Trump deal" slush fund has sent shockwaves through European capitals, which see the American approach as a brazen attempt to privatize Middle East peacemaking.
According to The Guardian, this marks the first time tensions have escalated to this degree over Trump's Gaza project, just days before the council's inaugural meeting in Washington next week.
The US Strikes Back
The American delegation, far from backing down, doubled down. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz aggressively attacked what he called European "hesitation," insisting that the world must move beyond the "status quo of endless war" in Gaza.
In a move clearly designed to sideline both the EU and the UN, Waltz revealed that Indonesia has already pledged 8,000 troops to an international stabilization force for Gaza, with more announcements expected next week. He suggested that many nations are uncomfortable funneling money through the "UN system," arguing that the world body needs a "reset" to return to the basics of peacemaking.
The Man in the Middle
Caught in the crossfire, Trump's newly appointed high representative for Gaza, Nikolay Mladenov, tried desperately to steer clear of the political quagmire. Speaking at a sideline event, he focused on urgent humanitarian tasks: implementing the second phase of the ceasefire, facilitating aid entry, and disarming factions.
But Mladenov's technical approach seemed almost naive against the backdrop of the political firestorm raging in the main hall, especially as Israel continues to control large parts of the enclave, making any talk of a two-state solution feel increasingly detached from reality.
'The Last Nail in the Coffin'
From a Palestinian perspective, the debate is already meaningless. Senior Palestinian leader Mustafa Barghouti warned that all discussions about Gaza's future lack credibility while "the entire West Bank is open for settlement."
He declared that Israel is driving "the last nail into the coffin of the Oslo Accord," effectively eliminating any remaining hope for Palestinian sovereignty or a viable two-state solution.
As the conference continues, one thing is painfully clear: the transatlantic alliance on the Middle East is shattered. Europe is demanding adherence to international law and Palestinian rights, while the Trump administration is pushing forward with a deal-making vision that sidelines both. And Gaza, battered and exhausted, hangs in the balance.