Board of Peace: Canada Dropped, Spain Declines, Pakistan Opposition Objects, Netanyahu Joins Under Pressure
President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative, introduced at the World Economic Forum in Davos as a new framework for managing ceasefires, security arrangements, and postwar reconstruction, is drawing uneven responses from allies and renewed controversy after the American president withdrew Canada’s invitation on Thursday.
Spain announced Thursday that it will decline the invitation to join. “We appreciate the invitation, but we decline,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said after an EU summit in Brussels, saying Madrid’s stance reflects its commitment to the United Nations and multilateral diplomacy. France, Norway, and Sweden have taken similar positions. French officials said they support efforts connected to Gaza but are wary the body could evolve into a replacement for the UN in handling global conflicts. The UK has also held back, with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper citing concerns about potential Russian participation.
The Kremlin, for its part, said President Vladimir Putin plans to discuss a proposal to send $1 billion in humanitarian funding to the board during talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, though releasing those funds would require US action.
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Nineteen countries appeared on stage with President Trump in Davos to sign the founding charter, among them Pakistan. The move sparked backlash in Islamabad, where Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry defended participation in the National Assembly as guided by national interest and the priorities of the Muslim world. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Fazal-ur-Rehman warned lawmakers: “Expecting peace from Trump is tantamount to living in [a] fool’s paradise,” adding, “We must not accept the Board of Peace under any circumstances. … No so-called peace board in the form of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is acceptable at all.”
Israel joined with reservations. An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had little practical choice given Israel’s dependence on US support, while objecting to Turkey and Qatar serving on the Gaza Executive Board because of their ties to leaders of terrorist groups. Israel, the official said, “wasn’t well-positioned” to challenge the panel’s composition.
At the signing ceremony, Jared Kushner outlined what he described as a security-first blueprint for rebuilding Gaza. The phased plan begins in Rafah and extends to coastal and industrial zones, aiming to lift GDP above $10 billion and average household income beyond $13,000 by 2035 through coordination with Arab partners and the Palestinian Authority after Hamas demilitarization. The proposal has drawn criticism over its timeline, its assumptions that Hamas would disarm, and the lack of immediate answers for nearly two million Palestinians.
Canada’s status changed Thursday after President Trump posted a message framed as a letter: “Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.” Prime Minister Mark Carney responded in a national address: “Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership. In the economy, in security, and in rich cultural exchange. But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” adding, “Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
