Former Irish President Mary Robinson has criticized a U.S.-proposed “Board of Peace” as a vehicle for President Donald Trump’s personal power, while Israel announced a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
Robinson Criticizes U.S. “Board of Peace”
Robinson, a member of The Elders – a group of global leaders working for human rights – described the Board as “a delusion of power” by President Trump during an interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland. She stated the board is “the board of the power of one person.”
Robinson, who also served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, asserted that the United Nations does not need to be replaced, but requires reform, a position The Elders have advocated for years. She criticized the charter of the Board of Peace for lacking any mention of Gaza, despite the original UN mandate focusing on a peace plan for the territory, alleging the UN was “bullied” into its establishment.
“They agreed to a Board of Peace to implement the 20 stage phases of the peace plan of Gaza,” Robinson said. “There’s no mention of Gaza, and there’s no mention of a mandate from the UN in the Charter. So it’s nothing to do, this Board of Peace has nothing to do with that. It’s a much more general board as I said, of the power of one person.”
Robinson questioned the rationale for Ireland to join the Board, stating, “how could any self-respecting country?” She characterized Trump as “power obsessed,” a trait she believes poses a danger to the world.
She pointed to Trump’s withdrawal from international agreements like the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC, noting that no other country has followed suit. Robinson also cited Trump’s use of tariffs and alleged attempts to stifle dissent, such as disinviting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney from a speech.
Robinson warned that the world is experiencing “a one-man rupture” in the established international order, but emphasized the importance of maintaining the rules-based system, particularly with support from middle and smaller countries.
Regarding recent events in Minnesota, Robinson accused the Trump administration of disseminating “a barrage of lies” to obscure the truth, but maintained that video evidence contradicts these claims. She also drew parallels between the current climate and the rise of fascism in Germany in the 1930s, stating, “The elements are there, there’s no doubt about it.”
Rafah Crossing to Reopen with Restrictions
Meanwhile, Israel announced it would allow pedestrian passage through the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, contingent on the recovery of the remains of the last hostage held in the Palestinian territory. The reopening is considered a “limited” measure and will be subject to full Israeli inspection.
The move is part of a truce framework initially announced by Trump in October, but the crossing has remained closed since Israeli forces took control of it during the ongoing conflict. U.S. envoys reportedly urged Israeli officials to reopen the crossing during recent talks in Jerusalem.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated the reopening depends on “the return of all living hostages and a 100% effort by Hamas to locate and return all deceased hostages.” It remains unclear if the reopening will facilitate the transfer of medical patients from Gaza to Egypt or other countries for treatment.
The Israeli military is currently searching a cemetery in Gaza for the remains of hostage Ran Gvili. Upon completion of this operation, Israel will open the Rafah Crossing, according to Netanyahu’s office.
Gaza’s newly appointed administrator, Ali Shaath, previously announced the crossing would open “in both directions” this week.
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