Israel has joined United States (US) President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday during his visit to Washington where he met Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Visuals released earlier on Wednesday after the Netanyahu and Rubio meeting showed them holding a document, opens new tab with Netanyahu’s signature on Israel joining the board.
Netanyahu said on X he “signed Israel’s accession as a member of the “Board of Peace.””
He later discussed Iran with Trump. A United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorised the board and countries working with it to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire began in October under a Trump plan on which Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off.
Under Trump’s Gaza plan, the board was meant to supervise Gaza’s temporary governance.
Trump thereafter said the board, with him as Chairperson, would be expanded to tackle global conflicts.
The board will hold its first meeting on February 19 in Washington to discuss Gaza’s reconstruction.
Many rights experts say that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s affairs resembled a colonial structure.
Israel’s presence on the board is expected to bring further criticism as the board does not include a Palestinian.
Countries have reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation to join the board launched in late January.
Many experts are concerned the board could undermine the UN.
–Reuters–
