Paris stated that the current proposal is “incompatible” with its obligations under the UN
France has refused to join the ‘Board of Peace’ put forward by US President Donald Trump, which is intended to oversee post-war governance and reconstruction in Gaza.
The US extended invitations to dozens of world leaders, allegedly providing three-year memberships and an option to pay $1 billion for a permanent seat. The body is scheduled to collaborate with a Palestinian technocratic administration during a transitional phase.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that Paris “must decline because, currently, the charter of the Board of Peace goes beyond Gaza and thus exceeds the scope of the peace plan approved by the United Nations.”
“As currently drafted, the charter is incompatible with France’s international commitments,” Barrot said on Monday, as reported by RFI.
The White House stated that the board would “play a crucial role” in implementing the 20-point plan adopted by the UN Security Council in November. The board’s executive arm will comprise US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and the president’s son-in-law and negotiator, Jared Kushner. Bloomberg reported that Trump anticipates countries to join the board during an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.
Multiple news outlets reported that European politicians have expressed concerns about Trump’s plan, with Israeli broadcaster i24NEWS characterizing the atmosphere in the EU as “very nervous and skeptical.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who generally supports the establishment of the board, has admitted that Israel and the US have differences on this issue.
The Kremlin stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to the Board of Peace and is evaluating the proposal.