US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace (BoP) is planning to grant itself total legal immunity for actions undertaken in the Gaza Strip, according to a leaked resolution draft published by The Guardian on Saturday.
The four-page draft extends protections to all members of the BoP, which is sanctioned by the United Nations as a transitional governance body aimed at securing, disarming, and rebuilding Gaza, according to the report.
Those protected under the resolution include members of the office of the High Representative (OHR), Palestinian technocrats, and international military forces and contractors that are preparing to take action in the strip.
According to the Guardian, immunities listed in the "sensitive but unclassified" draft extend to "any arrest, detention or legal proceedings in the courts or other entities in Gaza."
In addition, Trump, as board chair, would reserve the right to waive any board member's immunity, assuming majority support for the move.
Legal specialists who reviewed the draft leaked by the Guardian determined that the resolution lacked clarity regarding accountability for actions committed in Gaza.
International humanitarian law expert Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man told the Guardian that the draft "looks like an attempt to exempt the board, and all of its personnel, from accountability for potential legal violations."
'A legal system unto itself'
Of particular concern is a draft section titled "Third Party Liability/Claims," which Rutgers University professor Noura Erakat described as "creating a legal system unto itself."
"They are basically saying there’s no external oversight, including applicable international law regarding occupation," said Erakat.
According to legal experts cited by the Guardian, the resolution further empowers the BoP to occupy and utilize any Gaza public property "needed for the accomplishment of the missions in Gaza," noting that such facilities must be provided without compensation.
The experts fear that such language could result in Palestinian property being illegally confiscated by board members.
Center for Constitutional Rights Associate Policy Director Brad Parker noted the draft's unclear wording regarding the BoP's legal authority, noting that the problem also stems from the lack of a "status of forces agreement with Israel."
BoP disputes draft content
The Guardian reached out to the BoP for comment, with a board official denying any "immunity framework of the kind described."
"Any suggestion that this process is designed to create lawlessness or impunity is wrong, misleading, and gets the issue entirely backward,” the official said.