&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Vatican snubs Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace invitation over governance concerns; Leavitt hits back at Pope")
The Vatican has formally declined an invitation to join US President Donald Trump’s proposed "Board of Peace," signalling unease over the structure and scope of the new initiative. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State and its top diplomat, confirmed Tuesday (Feb 10) that Pope Leo XIV would not participate in Trump's board touted by the POTUS as a shot at "GREATNESS FOR ALL.". The decision comes after the pontiff was invited last month to take part in the board, which was initially conceived to oversee reconstruction efforts in Gaza but has since expanded into a broader global peace body.
Vatican expresses concern over the UN's role
Speaking to reporters after an event marking the anniversary of the Lateran Pacts, Cardinal Parolin said the Vatican was left "perplexed" by certain elements of the proposal and said that "critical issues" still need to be resolved. He emphasised that crisis management at the international level should remain under the authority of the United Nations.
One of the points on which they have insisted, Parolin said, "is that at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted".
Board of Peace under Trump's control
The board, chaired indefinitely by Trump, would reportedly allow the president to appoint members, shape the agenda, and oversee finances. That structure has drawn concern from several governments and diplomats who fear it could sideline existing international mechanisms.
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Britain, France and Norway have also declined invitations, while Italy and the European Union have indicated they may participate only as observers. Meanwhile, war criminal Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, sometimes referred to as 'Europe's last dictator', have been invited to join.
White House pushback
The White House described the Vatican’s decision as "deeply unfortunate," with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slamming the pontiff's refusal to join the Board of Peace, saying peace efforts should not become "partisan or political."
Defending the board as a legitimate international body with broad participation. "This is a legitimate organization where there are tens of member countries from around the world, and we think that’s an unfortunate decision," she said.
The board is expected to hold its first meeting in Washington this week.
