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US President Donald Trump has stated that member nations of the Peace Council will contribute more than US$5 billion for the reconstruction of Gaza. The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register land in the West Bank as “state property”.
Trump said the funding commitment for Gaza would be discussed at the Peace Council’s inaugural meeting in Washington DC on Thursday (19 February). The deployment of thousands of personnel for the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to Gaza would also be discussed at the meeting attended by heads of state.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority reacted strongly, warning that Israel’s move amounted to “de facto annexation”.
Second Round of US-Iran Negotiations Set for 17 February in Geneva
The second round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran is scheduled for Tuesday (17 February) in Geneva, Switzerland. Oman, which hosted the first round, will continue to serve as mediator for the second round of Washington-Tehran nuclear talks.
This second round follows the first, held in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on 6 February, which concluded with both nations agreeing to continue negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as reported by AFP and Anadolu Agency on Monday (16 February 2026), departed from Tehran for Geneva on Sunday (15 February) local time.
Trump Says Peace Council Members Pledge Rp84 Trillion to Rebuild Gaza
US President Donald Trump said that Peace Council member nations would commit more than US$5 billion, equivalent to Rp84.1 trillion, for the reconstruction of Gaza, which was devastated by a series of Israeli attacks.
Trump said the funding commitment for Gaza would be discussed at the Peace Council’s inaugural meeting in Washington DC on Thursday (19 February). The deployment of thousands of personnel for the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to Gaza would also be discussed at the meeting attended by heads of state.
“On 19 February 2026, I will once again meet with Peace Council members at the Donald J Trump Peace Institute in Washington DC, where we will announce that member nations have pledged more than US$5 billion for humanitarian efforts and the reconstruction of Gaza,” Trump wrote in a statement via the social media platform Truth Social, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Monday (16 February 2026).
Israel Designates West Bank Land as ‘State Property’, Palestine Furious
The Israeli government approved a proposal to register most land in the West Bank as “state property” if Palestinian residents cannot prove ownership. Such a move is the first of its kind since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967.
The Palestinian Authority, as reported by Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera on Monday (16 February 2026), reacted strongly, warning that Israel’s move amounted to “de facto annexation”.
Israeli local television channel KAN reported on Sunday (15 February) that the controversial proposal was put forward by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Israel Designates West Bank Land as ‘State Property’, Hamas: Illegitimate!
Hamas strongly condemned Israel’s decision to register land in the West Bank as “state property”. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, described Tel Aviv’s decision as “illegitimate” or “null and void” as it was issued by an “illegitimate occupying authority”.
In its statement, as reported by Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera on Monday (16 February 2026), Hamas described Israel’s move as an attempt “to steal and Judaise land in the occupied West Bank by registering it as so-called ‘state land’”.
The condemnation came after the Israeli government approved a proposal to register most land in the West Bank as “state property” if Palestinian residents cannot prove ownership. Such a move is the first of its kind since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967.
Saudi Arabia to Turkey Condemn Israel Over West Bank ‘State Property’ Designation
Condemnation poured in from various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey, against Israel’s decision to approve the registration of most land in the West Bank as “state property”. These nations described the move as a violation of international law.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported by Al Arabiya on Monday (16 February 2026), condemned Israel’s latest move to further consolidate control over the West Bank, stating it aimed “to impose new legal and administrative realities on the occupied West Bank”.
According to the Saudi Foreign Ministry, Tel Aviv’s move “undermines ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region”.