Israel
Netanyahu accepts invitation to sit on Board of Peace
Israel had previously criticised the makeup of the Board’s subordinate committees, following the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials
January 21, 2026 10:47
Israel had previously criticised the makeup of the Board’s subordinate committees, following the inclusion of Turkish and Qatari officials
January 21, 2026 10:47Prime Minister Netanyahu's office has confirmed that he will accept the White House's invitation to serve on the Gaza Board of Peace.
The Israeli premier will join the leaders of Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the UAW, and Vietnam - the other founding members who have so far accepted invitations to the new international body.
A government spokesperson said: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he accepts the invitation of US President Donald Trump and will become a member of the Board of Peace, which is to be comprised of world leaders.”
Per i24’s Guy Azriel, Netanyahu made the decision to join the board on Tuesday afternoon, around 24 hours before Trump was due to hold a signing ceremony for the board at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
"The decision followed intense deliberations in Israel: rejecting the offer risked embarrassing President Trump and losing influence in the new body; accepting it means sitting alongside Turkey, Qatar, Russia and others, with Israel holding an equal vote in a council expected to shape decisions on Gaza’s future and Israel’s security,” Azriel added.
The acceptance comes despite Jerusalem's public objections to the makeup of the board's subordinate committees, the "Founding Executive Board" (FEB) and the "Gaza Executive Board" (GEB).
The inclusion of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Ali Thawadi, a former Qatari diplomat, on the latter was a key point of contention, with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) saying on Monday that the decision "was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy".
Netanyahu and the other board members will reportedly be guaranteed a three-year term, but will have to contribute $1 billion to a Gaza reconstruction fund controlled by the board's chair, US President Trump, to secure a permanent seat.
The UAE also announced its acceptance of a place on the board last night, but some significant invitees appear more hesitant.
China and Saudi Arabia have both confirmed receipt of an invitation, but have yet to formally respond.
France has already turned down the offer, claiming the board "goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza" amid concerns that Trump is attempting to create a US-led rival to the UN.
And the UK has objected to the fact that invitations were extended to Russia's Vladimir Putin and Belarus's Aleksandr Lukashenko.
"Putin is the aggressor in an illegal war against Ukraine, and he has shown time and time again he is not serious about peace," a Downing Street spokesperson said.
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