Moves to activate the "Peace Council": Hussein Al-Sheikh discusses with Mladenov the path to settlement in the Gaza Strip

Palestinian Deputy President, Hussein Al-Sheikh, met on Friday in Ramallah with former UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov, who is nominated to assume the position of coordinator of the international "Peace Council."

This meeting comes at a sensitive time, as diplomatic efforts are escalating to move to the second phase of US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, amidst anticipation for the formation of the transitional body that will oversee the administration of the Strip away from factional disputes.

The visit of Bulgarian diplomat Nikolay Mladenov to Ramallah comes a day after a series of talks he held in Tel Aviv with occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.

Mladenov, who served as the UN envoy for the peace process between 2015 and 2020, is a pivotal figure accepted by international parties, which enhances his chances of coordinating the "Peace Council" personally headed by Trump.

The American plan, approved by the UN Security Council last November under Resolution No. 2803, is based on managing Gaza through a temporary Palestinian technocratic committee, operating under the supervision of the International Council to ensure disarmament and the start of reconstruction operations.

In a statement on the "X" platform, Hussein Al-Sheikh explained that the meeting involved an extensive discussion of field and political developments. The talks focused on three main axes:

Implementation of Trump's plan: Discussing mechanisms for transitioning to the second phase, which includes a gradual withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza in exchange for Hamas laying down its weapons.

International force: The two sides discussed the deployment of an international force to stabilize the afflicted Strip and prevent the resumption of hostilities.

Settler escalation: The West Bank issue was not absent from the table, as warnings were made about the escalation of settler attacks against Palestinian citizens, which could undermine comprehensive peace opportunities.

Despite the success of the ceasefire agreement in ending two years of fighting, White House officials expressed concern about the "slowness" of the parties in implementing the commitments of the second phase, which explains Mladenov's role as the "driver" of this phase.

Mladenov's moves place the region on a serious executive path for Trump's 2026 plan.

The success of the "Peace Council" in imposing its authority largely depends on the extent of cooperation from the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and the acceptance of field forces in Gaza to relinquish their weapons.

While the West Bank remains an open arena for tension due to settlers, Mladenov's appointment - if officially approved - will represent a starting point for the anticipated technocratic rule, in a final international attempt to rescue the Strip from the rubble and place it on the map of regional stability.