WASHINGTON, United States (US): Members of the so-called Board of Peace have pledged more than USD5 billion (RM19.55 billion) for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday ahead of the body’s first meeting next week, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
They have also committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilisation Force to support local police in Gaza, he wrote on Truth Social.
The controversial Board of Peace – Trump’s brainchild – is set to meet for the first time on Thursday in Washington.
Trump established the Board of Peace as part of a peace plan following two years of war between Israel and the Palestinian group, Hamas.
The body is designed to oversee reconstruction and security in the Gaza Strip.
An executive committee is to implement its strategic guidelines, while the ‘Gaza Executive Board’ should directly support Gaza’s transitional administration of Palestinian technocrats who are responsible for regulating daily life in the devastated coastal territory.
During his recent visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, signed a document on his country’s accession to the Board of Peace.
According to media reports, Netanyahu will not be present at the first meeting; his Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, is set to represent Israel instead.
Trump’s assertions that the Board of Peace could be used to address other crises have raised alarms in some countries, with critics viewing the body as a competitor to the United Nations. – BERNAMA-dpa
