Invitations were sent Friday afternoon to the 26 other countries represented on the panel. The planned date coincides with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a timing that could complicate attendance for some Muslim leaders
The United States is set to convene the first working meeting of the newly formed Board of Peace on February 19 in Washington, according to two Arab diplomats speaking to The Times of Israel.
Invitations were sent Friday afternoon to the 26 other countries represented on the panel, the diplomats said. The planned date coincides with the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a timing that could complicate attendance for some Muslim leaders.
The Board of Peace was formally launched last month during a signing ceremony held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Although several dozen countries were invited to that event, fewer than two dozen took part. Participation was limited amid unease over the board’s charter, which some governments view as an attempt to sideline the United Nations, as well as tensions stemming from Washington’s recent dispute with Western allies over Greenland.
Focus on Gaza, but doubts remain
US officials have attempted to reassure allies that the board’s initial mandate will be limited to Gaza. That scope aligns with a UN Security Council resolution granting the panel authority to oversee postwar governance of the Strip for a two-year period.
The February 19 meeting is expected to focus heavily on fundraising, as the initiative will require several billion dollars to begin operations. However, questions remain about the level of international buy-in.
Many governments are reportedly hesitant to commit, citing doubts that Hamas will disarm and uncertainty over whether Israel would agree to further withdrawals from Gaza.
‘New Gaza’
The Trump administration unveiled a plan for developing a “New Gaza” that would rebuild the Palestinian region from scratch. The plan was shown during the signing ceremony of Trump’s Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month.
Officials presented slide shows of what a post-war Gaza would look like, with pictures of skyscrapers stretching along the Mediterranean coast and housing estates in the Rafah area. It also contained a map of a redeveloped Gaza, developed in a phased manner with new residential, agricultural and industrial areas for the 2.1 million population.
“We’re going to be very successful in Gaza. It’s going to be a great thing to watch. I’m a real estate person at heart and it’s all about location. And I said: ‘Look at this location on the sea. Look at this beautiful piece of property. What it could be for so many people,’” Trump said in Davos.Bo
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