Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has invited India to be a part of what he called Board of Peace meant to oversee governance and reconstruction in postwar Gaza. The White House had said there would be a main board, chaired by Trump himself, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern the war-wracked territory, and a second “executive board” that appears designed to have a more advisory role.
India is a country acceptable to both Israel and Palestine because of historic ties with both. India enjoys strategic partnership with Israel and has given regular humanitarian aid and help to Palestine. India was among the first countries to send humanitarian aid to Gaza through Egypt after the recent conflict began.
This board, formed on January 15 as part of Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, is seen as a potential broader mechanism to address other global conflicts in the future. Governments, however, reacted cautiously today to Trump’s invitation to his “Board of Peace” initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the United Nations.
Only Hungary, whose leader is a close Trump ally, gave an unequivocal acceptance in response to the invitations, which have been addressed to some 60 nations and began arriving in European capitals on Saturday, according to diplomats.
Other governments appeared reluctant to make public statements, leaving officials to express concerns anonymously about the impact on the work of the UN, news agency Reuters reported. The White House did not detail the responsibilities of each member of the board. It said more members will be announced over the coming weeks.
