Jerusalem, Jan 21 (AP) Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he had agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, after his office earlier criticized the makeup of the board’s
committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.
The board, chaired by Trump, was originally envisaged as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. The Trump administration’s ambitions have broadened into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting it will soon broker global conflicts.
The announcement is a departure from the previous stand by Netanyahu’s office. It had said the composition of the Gaza executive committee — which includes Turkey, a key regional rival — wasn’t coordinated with the Israeli government and ran “contrary to its policy,” without clarifying its objections.
Netanyahu’s decision to join the board could now put him in conflict with some of the far-right allies in his coalition, such as Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has criticized the board and called for Israel to take unilateral responsibility for Gaza’s future.
Those who have joined the board are the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Argentina.
Others, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Egypt, Russia, Turkey and the executive arm of the European Union, say they have received invitations but have not yet responded.
Netanyahu’s announcement came as Trump traveled 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 by a reporter on Tuesday if the board should replace the United Nations, Trump said: “It might.” He claimed the world body “hasn’t been very helpful” and “has never lived up to its potential” but also said the U.N. should continue ”because the potential is so great.” That has created controversy, with some saying Trump is trying to replace the UN In a response to Trump, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on 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.” After hearing late Monday that French President Emmanuel Macron was unlikely to join the board, Trump said, “Well, nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon.” Under the ceasefire deal, the board’s Gaza executive committee will be in charge of implementing the tough second phase of the agreement. That includes deploying an international security force, disarming the Palestinian militant Hamas group and rebuilding the war-devastated territory. It will also supervise a newly appointed committee of Palestinian technocrats who will be running Gaza’s day-to-day affairs.
The White House says its members include Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan; Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi; Hassan Rashad, director of Egypt’s General Intelligence Agency; Emirati minister Reem Al-Hashimy; Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay; and Sigrid Kaag, the Netherlands’ former deputy prime minister and a Mideast expert.
Nickolay Mladenov, a former Bulgarian politician and U.N. Mideast envoy, is to serve as the Gaza executive board’s representative overseeing day-to-day matters.
Separate from the Gaza executive committee, the founding executive committee’s members include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Trump’s deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel. (AP) AMS
