Latest: Board of Peace takes shape with few details about mandate, membership

Davos, Jan 22 (AP) US President Donald Trump is hosting presidents, prime ministers and top diplomats from more than a dozen countries to tout his international “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum

in Davos, Switzerland.

The list of attendees, according to a forum schedule, is heavy on the Middle East and South America. But it remains short on major US allies from Europe, and the full membership list still isn’t clear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff are with Trump.

Europe is breathing a sigh of relief Thursday following Trump’s dramatic reversal over Greenland the day before in Davos, where he scrapped the tariffs that he threatened to impose on eight European nations to press for US control over Greenland.

Here is the latest: Israel does not immediately comment on the Rafah crossing ——————————————————————— Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli military did not have immediate comment on the possible opening of the Rafah crossing.

Kushner, Trump tout Gaza development potential ———————————————————- Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who has been involved in Middle East negotiations, gave a slide deck presentation at the Board of Peace launch that included real estate development plans by zones.

“We do not have a plan B,” Kushner said, adding that people in the Middle East build cities in two or three years.

Trump, during his closing remarks, noted his own experiences in real estate.

He described Gaza as “this beautiful piece of property” and suggested his push for peace between Israel and Hamas “all began with the location.” Rafah border crossing to open next week ————————————————- Ali Shaath, head of the new technocratic government in Gaza, announced the Rafah border crossing will open in both directions next week.

Israel said in early December it would open the crossing between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.

Shaath spoke by video message to leaders at the forum.

Marco Rubio praises board, emphasises Gaza mission ————————————————————— The US secretary of state praised the Board of Peace as “a group of leaders that is about action” and credited Trump for bringing it together.

“He’s not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and he’s willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace,” Rubio said.

Rubio stressed the body’s job “first and foremost” is “making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.” Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere.

With details of the board’s operations still unclear, Rubio described it as a work in progress.

“Many others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join,” Rubio said. (AP) SKS SKS