U.S. President Donald Trump introduced his newly established “Board of Peace” on the global platform on Thursday, with several countries responding positively to his call for participation in the initial objective of reconstructing Gaza. By Thursday morning, approximately 35 nations, including influential Middle East players like Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, had enlisted for membership. Conversely, conventional allies of the U.S., particularly European nations and Canada, have exhibited reluctance to engage in the initiative or meet the membership fee requirement.
Later in the day, Trump announced the revocation of Canada’s invitation to join the board. Countries seeking a permanent position on the board, which Trump is set to preside over indefinitely, are expected to contribute a minimum of $1 billion US, as outlined in a preliminary draft. Other members will serve three-year terms. An official from the White House informed The Associated Press that approximately 50 countries had been extended invitations, with some yet to respond.
Although the final list of participating countries remains pending, several nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, and Vietnam, have already publicly declared their support for the board. France recently declined Trump’s offer, citing discrepancies between the board’s charter and a United Nations resolution intended to address the Gaza conflict, with concerns raised regarding certain elements of the charter conflicting with the UN charter. Additionally, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob rejected the invitation, citing concerns that the board could disrupt the broader international order.
Meanwhile, Moscow is contemplating joining the initiative, as indicated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who proposed allocating $1 billion US from Russian assets frozen in the U.S. for the board. Trump hosted a signing ceremony for the board in Davos, Switzerland, during which he drew parallels between his experiences in real estate and the peace efforts in Gaza. Referring to Gaza as a valuable property, Trump attributed the genesis of the peace initiative between Israel and Hamas to the region’s strategic location.
The signing event coincided with ongoing deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Thursday, despite a ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and signed on Oct. 10. Trump has leveraged the ceasefire agreement to launch a broader initiative aimed at addressing global conflicts, prompting some nations to approach the initiative cautiously due to limited information about its future objectives.