Gaza 'Board of Peace': Israel agrees to join Donald Trump's panel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday (January 21) that he will join US President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, reversing earlier objections from his office over the group’s leadership structure, which includes Turkey, a regional rival of Israel. Netanyahu’s office confirmed he had accepted Trump’s invitation after initially criticising the board’s executive committee. The initiative was first conceived as a limited forum of leaders tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire. Since then, the Trump administration has expanded the idea dramatically, inviting dozens of countries and positioning the board as a global conflict-mediation body resembling an alternative to the UN Security Council.

Further information is expected on Thursday (January 22) when Trump formally unveils the Board of Peace during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Although the board’s official charter has not been released, a draft reviewed by The news agency Associated Press suggests authority would be heavily centralized under Trump. The document also indicates that countries contributing $1 billion would receive permanent membership.

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Eight countries, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Argentina and Belarus, have already agreed to participate. Trump has also extended invitations to Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Invitations were additionally received by Russia, India, Slovenia, Thailand, Israel and the European Union’s executive body. The Kremlin said it is reviewing the proposal and seeking clarification from US officials. Trump confirmed earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been formally invited.

The executive committee of the Board of Peace includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel.

Separately, the White House announced the creation of a Gaza Executive Board, responsible for carrying out the ceasefire’s second phase. Its mandate includes deploying an international security force, dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities and overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction. Nickolay Mladenov, a former UN Middle East envoy, will manage day-to-day operations. Other members include representatives from the US, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Israel and Europe. The board will also oversee a newly established Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with administering Gaza’s daily affairs.