Trumps Board of Peace to meet in Washington on Gaza issue

US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is set to convene in Washington, DC on February 19 for its first meeting. According to Axios, a US official and diplomats from four countries participating in the board confirmed plans for the gathering. The meeting will take place the day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to the White House.

Netanyahu’s attendance at the Board of Peace meeting would mark his first encounter with Arab and Muslim leaders since Israel’s conflict with Gaza began on October 7, 2023. The White House and State Department have not commented on the report.

The board, established as part of a US-led peace plan for the Gaza Strip, will meet in Washington. The event is also scheduled to serve as a fundraising event for Gaza reconstruction efforts. Details of the meeting are still tentative and may change.

Figures such as Netanyahu and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair have been invited to join the board. Trump has suggested that the board could address conflicts beyond Gaza, potentially undermining traditional international diplomacy forums like the United Nations. The US president’s administration has expressed interest in promoting economic development and investment in Gaza.

Source: Al Jazeera