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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, after his office earlier criticised the makeup of the board’s executive committee.
The board, chaired by Trump, was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. The Trump administration’s ambitions have appeared to balloon into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting it will soon broker global conflicts.
Netanyahu’s office had previously said the executive committee — which includes Turkey, a key regional rival — wasn’t coordinated with the Israeli government and “is contrary to its policy,” without clarifying its objections. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has criticised the board and called for Israel to take unilateral responsibility for Gaza’s future.
Others who have joined the board are the UAE, Morocco, Vietnam, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Argentina. Others, including the UK, Russia and the executive arm of the European Union, say they have received invitations but have not yet responded.
It came as Trump travelled to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where he is expected to provide more details about the board. There are many unanswered questions. It was not immediately clear how many or which other leaders would receive invitations.
When asked on Tuesday if the board should replace the UN, Trump said, “It might.” He asserted that the world body “hasn’t been very helpful” and “has never lived up to its potential”, but also said the UN should continue “because the potential is so great.”
That has created controversy, with some saying Trump is trying to replace the UN. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday, “Yes to implementing the peace plan presented by the president of the United States, which we wholeheartedly support, but no to creating an organisation as it has been presented, which would replace the United Nations.”
Told late Monday that French President Emmanuel Macron was unlikely to join, Trump said, “Well, nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon.” A day later, Trump called Macron “a friend of mine” but reiterated that the French leader is “not going to be there very much longer.”
The executive board’s members include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Trump’s deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel.
The White House also announced the members of another board, the Gaza Executive Board, which, according to the ceasefire plan, will be in charge of implementing the tough second phase of the agreement. That includes deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and rebuilding the war-devastated territory.
Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian politician and UN Middle East envoy, is to serve as the Gaza executive board’s representative, overseeing day-to-day matters.
The board will also supervise a newly appointed committee of Palestinian technocrats who will be running Gaza’s day-to-day affairs.
AP
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