World News
Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu Agrees to Join Trump’s Board of Peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, reversing earlier criticism from his office over the composition of the board’s executive committee, which includes Turkey — a regional rival of Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday agreed to join US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, reversing earlier criticism from his office over the composition of the board’s executive committee, which includes Turkey — a regional rival of Israel.
In a brief statement, Netanyahu’s office confirmed that he had accepted Trump’s invitation to participate in the initiative.
The Board of Peace, spearheaded by Trump, was initially conceived as a limited group of world leaders tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. However, the concept has since expanded significantly, with the Trump administration inviting dozens of countries and portraying the body as a platform to resolve conflicts worldwide — drawing comparisons to a parallel UN Security Council.
Further details are expected on Thursday, when Trump is scheduled to make a formal announcement about the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Although the board’s charter has not been officially released, a draft obtained by The Associated Press suggests that substantial authority would be concentrated in Trump’s hands. According to the draft, countries contributing $1 billion would be granted permanent membership.
So far, at least eight countries — Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Argentina and Belarus — have agreed to join the initiative.
Trump has also sent invitations to leaders including Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Invitations have additionally been received by Russia, India, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Union’s executive arm.
The Kremlin said it was “studying the details” of the proposal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Russia would seek clarity on “all the nuances” in discussions with the United States. Trump confirmed earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited.
The executive committee of the Board of Peace includes 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.
Meanwhile, the White House has also announced the formation of a separate Gaza Executive Board, tasked with implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. This phase includes deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and overseeing reconstruction in the war-ravaged territory.
Former UN Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov will oversee the Gaza board’s day-to-day operations. Other members include Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Rowan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, UAE minister Reem Al-Hashimy, Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay and former Dutch deputy prime minister Sigrid Kaag.
The Gaza Executive Board will also supervise a newly formed committee of Palestinian technocrats responsible for managing Gaza’s daily affairs.
