US President Donald Trump has invited India to be part of the proposed “Gaza Board of Peace”. This board will take over the responsibility of governance and reconstruction in Gaza after the war. It is reported that Pakistan has also received the invitation. What will be the structure of the Gaza Board of Peace? According to the White House, three major units will be created under this initiative. The first main board, which will be headed by President Donald Trump himself. Second, a committee of Palestinian technocrats, which will take over the administration and governance of Gaza. Apart from this, there will be a separate executive board, which will play the role of advisor. However, the White House has not yet made public the complete details of all the members of the board and their responsibilities.
Why did India become an important contender?
A major reason for including India in this board is that India has strategic relations with Israel. India has been continuously providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine. India was also among the first countries to send aid to Gaza through Egypt after the recent conflict. Due to this balanced approach, India is considered an acceptable country for both the parties.
Pakistan also got invitation, Israel’s objection
Pakistan has also claimed that it has received an invitation from Trump to join the Gaza Board of Peace. But, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said that Pakistan will not accept us for any role in the future of Gaza.
Why did the Netanyahu government express objection?
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the structure of this board was created without coordination with Israel, which is against our policy. Israel has expressed disagreement on this, especially regarding Turkey’s participation and strained relations with Qatar.
Invitations sent to 60 countries
According to reports, invitations have been sent to about 60 countries. So far only Hungary has openly supported it. Many countries have refrained from making public statements. Key members of the Gaza Executive Board include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UN Middle East Peace Coordinator Sigrid Kaag, UAE Minister of International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimi, Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay, senior officials from Qatar and UAE. Part of the 20-point Gaza Peace Plan. Diplomats believe that in future this model can become a framework to resolve other major conflicts of the world. However, most governments have adopted a cautious stance on this initiative of Trump. Diplomats say that this mechanism can weaken the role of the United Nations (UN).