 "France 'does not intend' to accept Trump's invitation to join Board of Peace for Gaza: Report")
France is unlikely to accept US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the “Board of Peace”, created to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war ends.
According to a report by Le Monde, France “does not intend to answer favourably” to the invitation, as the charter which conceived the board does not limit its role to the Palestinian territory.
The source told the news outlet that the charter “goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza.” They added, “It raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question.”
Earlier Monday, its foreign ministry issued a statement reiterating France’s commitment to the UN.
“This remains the keystone of effective multilateralism, where international law, the sovereign equality of states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes prevail over arbitrariness, power politics and war,” it said.
The ministry added it was reviewing the proposed legal framework of the board with its partners, raising concern that the “project extends beyond the situation in Gaza”.
‘Pay $1 bn to stay a member’
Meanwhile, Trump has put a price of $1 billion on the permanent membership of the Board of Peace.
The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The board’s charter says that member countries will serve no longer than three years, subject to renewal by the chairman. That is, unless they “contribute more than $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force.”
Quick Reads
View AllTrump to formalise board at Davos event
Trump is expected to formalise the Gaza peace board at a signing ceremony this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The charter appears to take a swipe at the United Nations, saying that the new board should have “the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed.”
Trump has regularly criticised the United Nations and announced this month that his country will withdraw from 66 global organisations and treaties – roughly half affiliated with the UN.
With inputs from agencies
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