Trump’s Plan Excluded UN Role Except for Humanitarian Aid, Says Maged Abdel Fattah

Maged Abdel Fattah, the Arab League’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative explicitly excluded any meaningful role for international organizations, including the UN, except for facilitating humanitarian assistance through its specialized agencies.

In an interview with Al Qahera News, Abdel Fattah noted that Washington’s approach was clear from the outset of the plan’s announcement, sparking widespread debate within the UN over the limits of its involvement in both the political and humanitarian aspects of the Palestinian issue.

He added that the UN recently issued two important statements through Secretary-General António Guterres — one following Hamas’s announcement of its willingness to engage with Trump’s peace proposal, and another marking the second anniversary of the October 7 events. Both statements, he said, reflect a genuine desire by the UN and its member states to participate in the ongoing political efforts within the framework of the U.S. initiative.

Also in this regard, Abdel Fattah emphasized that the United Nations remains the embodiment of international legitimacy, basing its stance on Security Council resolutions and the New York Declaration — adopted in cooperation with France, Saudi Arabia, and more than 160 countries that have recognized the State of Palestine.

He stressed the need for UN and Arab efforts to complement the implementation of Trump’s initiative to ensure a balanced negotiation process, noting that the current situation recalls earlier turning points in the region’s political history.