ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the so-called “Board of Peace” for Gaza.
The White House on Friday announced some members of this board, which would outlive its role supervising the temporary governance of Gaza, under a fragile ceasefire since October.
The names include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Trump is the chair of the board, according to a plan the White House unveiled in October.
Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas signed off on Trump’s plan, which says a Palestinian technocratic administration will be overseen by an international board, which will supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the President of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions.”
Many rights experts and advocates have said Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembles a colonial structure, while Blair’s involvement was criticized last year due to his role in the Iraq war and the history of British imperialism in the Middle East.
The White House did not detail the responsibilities of each member of the board. The names do not include any Palestinians. The White House said more members will be announced over the coming weeks.
It also named a separate, 11-member “Gaza Executive Board” to support the technocratic body, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UN Middle East peace coordinator Sigrid Kaag, United Arab Emirates International Cooperation Minister Reem Al-Hashimy, and Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said the composition of this board had not been coordinated with Israel and contradicted its policy — possibly a reference to Fidan’s presence, as Israel objects to Turkish involvement.
With inputs from Reuters
