Inside Trump's Board of Peace

The Board of Peace led by US President Donald Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan.

- JULIA FRANKEL

Israeli military on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza, on Wednesday

(PHOTO: REUTERS)

Since then, the Trump administration's ambitions have ballooned into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting the board will soon broker global conflicts, like a pseudo-UN Security Council.

Trump is headed for the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where more details are expected to emerge. Ahead of Davos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he had agreed to join the board, despite his previous criticism of the board’s committee overseeing the Gaza ceasefire. Pakistan also accepted the invitation and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are likely to see Trump at WEF.

The board’s charter has not yet been made public, but a draft version obtained by The Associated Press indicates that much of the power will be concentrated in Trump's hands. A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership, the draft says.

Beyond Gaza

The Trump administration now seems to envision the Board of Peace with a far broader scope beyond Gaza.

In letters sent to various world leaders inviting them to the board, Trump said it would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict,” suggesting it could act as a rival to the UN Security Council, the most powerful body of the global organisation created in the wake of the second World War.