International Rejection of the "Peace Council": Mexico and Spain Reject Trump's Attempts to Hijack the Palestinian Cause

Washington – Saeed Erikat – 2/18/2026

In a striking diplomatic scene, the "Peace Council" launched by US President Donald Trump's administration is facing unprecedented international embarrassment after Mexico officially refused to join it, aligning with a firm Spanish stance. This rejection stems from the deliberate exclusion of the Palestinian Authority from the negotiation table.

At her press conference on Monday morning, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum unequivocally announced her rejection of the American invitation, emphasizing that the fundamental flaw lies in the absence of the Palestinian side. Sheinbaum stated: "Since we recognize Palestine as a state, it is extremely important for both Israel and Palestine to participate. But the meeting was not planned on that basis." This position was not isolated, as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had previously expressed a similar rejection, stressing that the council operates "outside the framework of the United Nations" and excludes the Palestinian Authority, which Madrid considers the sole legitimate partner for peace.

Notably, Mexico did not merely reject the invitation but chose the role of an observer, allowing it to monitor developments without granting legitimacy to the council's decisions. It thus joins a growing list of European and established countries such as France, Germany, Greece, and New Zealand, all of whom have expressed reservations about the council's broad powers and its attempt to circumvent international legitimacy. It appears that Trump's attempt to create a parallel entity to the United Nations, concentrating power in his hands and those of his "son-in-law Jared Kushner" to reconstruct Gaza according to a purely real estate vision, has collided with the wall of defending international law and the right of Palestinians to represent themselves.

The "Peace Council," chaired by Trump, is scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday morning, February 19, 2026.

Experts believe that what Donald Trump is doing through the so-called "Peace Council" is nothing more than a crude attempt to hijack the Palestinian cause and exploit it in a real estate deal under the guise of reconstruction. By completely excluding Palestinians, including the Palestinian Authority (which the United States supports), the American president proves that he is not seeking a just peace, but rather imposing a new guardianship that entrenches the reality of occupation and nullifies the role of the international community represented by the United Nations.

The rejection by both Mexico and Spain is not just a fleeting diplomatic stance; it is a slap to attempts to marginalize international law. Furthermore, the attempt to make peace a "privilege" that Washington distributes according to its narrow interests, rather than a "right" for the Palestinian people, is considered the real reason behind the failure of all previous initiatives. This new council will remain merely a faded facade of hegemony unless the true owners of the land are involved.

Experts also believe that while Trump thinks he can buy loyalties with billions of dollars for Gaza's reconstruction, Mexico, under Sheinbaum's leadership, proves that political principles are more valuable than any suspicious funding. The council requires huge donations of up to one billion dollars for permanent membership, as if the cause of an entire people can be subjected to public auction. Mexico's choice of an observer role is a clever message: "We are for peace, but not at the expense of Palestinian rights."

A Latin American diplomat told Al-Quds newspaper's correspondent in Washington that: "This position restores credibility to independent Latin American diplomacy and serves as a model for countries that want to maintain their international relations without becoming a tool in the game of axes." The diplomat, who requested anonymity and not to mention the country he represents, added: "While Trump bets on money, Mexico bets on reason and justice, and there is a vast difference between the two bets."