By Sanxuan
Recently, U.S. President Trump announced the establishment of a so-called Gaza "Peace Committee" and has sent membership invitation letters to about 60 countries and international organizations. According to reports, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Australia, Canada, the European Commission, and major Middle Eastern countries are among those invited.
According to Trump's statement, the main goal of establishing the Gaza "Peace Committee" is to address the Gaza conflict, and it will later expand to deal with other conflicts, such as Venezuela and the Ukraine crisis. However, most countries have taken a cautious attitude towards this proposal from Trump. So far, only Hungary has clearly agreed to join, while French President Macron was the first to clearly express his refusal, citing the reason that the committee's charter grants too much power, which may undermine the United Nations framework. He thus received a retaliatory threat from Trump.
On January 20, Trump mocked Macron, saying that no one wants him to join now, while claiming that if he imposed a 200% tariff on French wine and champagne, Macron would agree to join. However, the so-called "Peace Committee" that Trump claims is aimed at resolving conflicts uses the threat of imposing tariffs to force allies to agree to join, which is quite ironic.
French President Macron
It is worth noting that among the five permanent members of the Security Council, apart from France's President Macron who clearly refused to join, UK Prime Minister Starmer also showed little enthusiasm. He refused to express support for the committee, stating only that he would discuss responses with allied countries. China and Russia have also confirmed that they received invitations to join Trump's "Peace Committee." Russian President Putin's press secretary Peskov stated that Putin received the invitation and is currently studying the details, hoping to further engage with the United States. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun confirmed that China received the invitation, but did not make any other response. However, we have repeatedly emphasized that we adhere to resolving issues within the framework of the United Nations.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jia Kun
From the current situation, Trump's Gaza "Peace Committee" seems more like a performance to showcase his own power: the charter does not even mention the word "Gaza," yet Trump is designated as the "Lifetime Chairman," all decisions require his approval, and to gain a "Permanent Seat," one must pay $1 billion. Isn't this just a game of money for power, where the United States dictates everything? Moreover, the United States has a history of owing over $30 billion in UN fees, and Trump recently ordered the U.S. to withdraw from 66 international organizations, then immediately set up the so-called "Peace Committee." Rather than being for peace, it seems to be an attempt to create a new version of the United Nations that serves its own interests. However, given the actions of the United States, it is hard to trust them.
Trump wants to use tariffs to pressure allies into compliance and invite China and Russia to add some credibility. However, the restructuring of the international order has never been dominated by a single country, especially when the U.S. international image and influence are continuously declining, Trump can no longer achieve the effect he imagines of commanding obedience from many.
When most countries refuse to take sides, when the United Nations upholds multilateral principles, and when the U.S. domestic judicial system constrains executive power, this "American-style peace" farce may ultimately end up as a failed joke. Trump should understand that real peace is never imposed by hegemony; it is achieved through equal dialogue, respect for rights, and multilateral cooperation.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7597387948442599945/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.