US President Donald Trump’s newly formed Peace Council has been met with irony and skepticism. The council-created after the Israel‑Hamas cease‑fire and costing members a $1 billion admission fee-is now under scrutiny because almost half of its prospective member nations are subject to U.S. visa restrictions. Countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are among those barred, raising doubts about the council’s efficacy. Several invited states have declined: Germany, Canada, Ireland, the UK, France, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Slovenia and Belgium, citing legal, institutional and sovereignty concerns and fears that the body could undermine existing UN mechanisms. Trump’s statement that the council would demilitarise Gaza and act as an “action council” has not convinced many, and the project’s ambitious reconstruction plan for Gaza - including 100,000 housing units - remains untested.

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