Seven countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt say they will join US president Donald Trump's Board of Peace, according to a joint statement. They will join Israel, which also publicly confirmed its participation earlier. On Wednesday evening Trump claimed that Vladimir Putin had also agreed to join - but the Russian president stated his country is still reviewing the invitation.
The board was originally aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza while overseeing reconstruction efforts. However, its proposed charter does not explicitly mention Palestinian territories and seems designed to supplant UN functions.
Saudi Arabia noted that this coalition aims to promote a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support reconstruction, and pursue what they describe as a just and lasting peace. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump stated that Putin had accepted the invitation. However, Putin quickly clarified that the invitation is still under consideration and indicated that Russia could provide approximately $1 billion from frozen Russian assets.
It remains unclear how many countries have been invited to this initiative, with Canada and the UK among the participants yet to respond publicly. Additional countries like the UAE, Bahrain, and Azerbaijan have also signed up.
The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo received an invitation, which he will consider. Meanwhile, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob declined the invitation, citing concerns over potential interference with the global order.
According to a leaked document, the Board of Peace's charter takes effect once three states agree to it. Member states will have renewable three-year terms, and permanent seats will go to those contributing $1 billion. The charter positions the board as an international organization committed to carrying out peace-building functions under international law, with Trump acting as chairman.
Recent developments indicate that the ceasefire, fragile as it is, faces challenges, with over 460 Palestinians reportedly killed in Israeli strikes since its enforcement. The ongoing conflict remains urgent, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in significant casualties and initiated a military response from Israel.
The board was originally aimed at helping end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza while overseeing reconstruction efforts. However, its proposed charter does not explicitly mention Palestinian territories and seems designed to supplant UN functions.
Saudi Arabia noted that this coalition aims to promote a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support reconstruction, and pursue what they describe as a just and lasting peace. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Trump stated that Putin had accepted the invitation. However, Putin quickly clarified that the invitation is still under consideration and indicated that Russia could provide approximately $1 billion from frozen Russian assets.
It remains unclear how many countries have been invited to this initiative, with Canada and the UK among the participants yet to respond publicly. Additional countries like the UAE, Bahrain, and Azerbaijan have also signed up.
The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo received an invitation, which he will consider. Meanwhile, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob declined the invitation, citing concerns over potential interference with the global order.
According to a leaked document, the Board of Peace's charter takes effect once three states agree to it. Member states will have renewable three-year terms, and permanent seats will go to those contributing $1 billion. The charter positions the board as an international organization committed to carrying out peace-building functions under international law, with Trump acting as chairman.
Recent developments indicate that the ceasefire, fragile as it is, faces challenges, with over 460 Palestinians reportedly killed in Israeli strikes since its enforcement. The ongoing conflict remains urgent, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in significant casualties and initiated a military response from Israel.
