New Delhi: A week after US President Donald Trump extended an invitation to several countries to join his ‘Board of Peace’ in Gaza, Pakistan Wednesday accepted the invitation “with the view to achieving lasting peace in Gaza”.
The acceptance was formally announced by the Pakistan Foreign Office, saying “Pakistan looks forward to continue playing a constructive role as part of the Board of Peace”.
Hungary, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have already accepted the invitation to join the board.
Ironically, religious parties in Pakistan like the Jamaat-e-Islami oppose any relationship with Israel, while terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba call for the destruction of Israel calling it a sworn enemy of Pakistan.
“Pakistan expresses the hope that with the creation of this framework, concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, further scaling up of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, as well as reconstruction of Gaza”, the statement said.
It also added, “Pakistan also hopes that these efforts will lead to the realization of the right to self-determination of the people of Palestine, through a credible, time-bound political process, consistent with international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions, resulting in the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”
Also Read: Something’s hidden in the Oval Office photo of Trump, Munir, Sharif. India must look closely
An ‘alternative’ to UN
The Trump administration apparently aims to expand its “Board of Peace”, an authority to oversee the peace and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, to a permanent global entity to rival the UN, with potential membership requiring a $1 billion contribution, Financial Times had earlier reported.
India too has been extended an invitation, and is yet to take a decision.
Trump had originally proposed setting up the board when he announced his plan in September 2024 to end the Israel-Hamas conflict. But an invitation sent to world leaders last week highlighted the roles for the body in ending conflicts globally.
A draft charter sent to about 60 countries by the US called for members to contribute $1 billion in cash if they want their membership to last more than three years. It is not immediately clear if Pakistan will pay the amount.
The inclusion of a ‘charter’ in the invitation letter additionally triggered concerns among some European governments that it could undermine the work of the United Nations, which Trump has accused of not supporting his efforts to end conflicts around the world.
The draft charter grants executive authority to Trump and allows him to serve as chairman indefinitely, subject only to voluntary resignation or removal due to incapacity confirmed by an overall board vote.
The document gives the chairman the authority to appoint and remove member states, decisions that would require a two-thirds majority vote to overturn.
According to the text, Trump would hold effective veto power over board decisions. The charter states rulings will be “made by a majority of the member states present and voting, subject to the approval of the chairman”.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Pakistanis say Munir’s Nobel pitch for Trump isn’t helping. US has put visa ban on Pakistan