Netanyahu Has Joined As A Member Of Trump's Board Of Peace For Gaza Despite Israel’s Genocide
Netanyahu first opposed but later accepted Trump’s invitation to join the BoP, despite being wanted for war crimes by the ICC.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace (BoP) to oversee Gaza’s governance despite having led Israel’s genocide in Gaza since 2023.
The BoP, which will be chaired by Trump, is tasked with overseeing Gaza's transitional governance, reconstruction and demilitarization as part of the second phase of the “ceasefire” in Gaza.
The BoP was initially expected to have approximately 10 Arab and international leaders on it with an executive board attached to it.
However, Trump sent invites to about 60 countries to join the board, with some being invited to be founding members, saying he wants it to address global challenges beyond the “ceasefire” in Gaza.
So far, no Palestinian members were included on the various boards attached to the Board of Peace.
A draft charter was also sent with the invitation, calling for members to reportedly contribute US$1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years, according to Reuters.
The proposed charter does not mention the Palestinian territory and appears to be designed to replace functions of the UN, according to BBC.
Netanyahu’s office first opposed the lineup of the Gaza Executive Board, saying it “runs contrary to its policy.”
However, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, it said that Netanyahu — who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza —had accepted Trump’s invitation and will become a member of the BoP.
Netanyahu’s involvement in the board has been widely criticized by Palestinians due to his role in Israel’s genocide in Gaza that killed more than 71,562 Palestinians.
Netanyahu's far-right government’s coalition partners have criticized the board, favoring unilateral Israeli control over Gaza.
Experts and critics have said that Trump’s plan resembles a colonial structure forcibly imposed on Palestinians.
Several countries have accepted Trump’s invitation, with some even signing up during a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday, Jan. 22.
Meanwhile, Norway, Sweden, France, and Spain have declined or withheld support due to concerns over the board's structure and the overlap with the UN.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
