Netanyahu joins Trump’s “peace council” despite reservations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his participation in the international “Board of Peace” initiated by US President Donald Trump. The prime minister’s office confirmed the acceptance of the invitation via a official X-Post.

The move comes despite clear Israeli criticism of the composition of certain Gaza committees of the new peace organization, in particular the participation of Turkey and Qatar.

As analysts quoted by JNS.org explained, Jerusalem’s room for maneuver was extremely limited compared to the initiative promoted by the US. The diplomatic organization of the post-war phase in Gaza is largely determined by Washington, while Israel’s influence is primarily limited to the implementation of concrete security policy red lines.

Yoni Ben-Menachem of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs told JNS.org that as long as Turkey and Qatar are not physically present in Gaza, an international body can exist – but operational control must remain with Israel. He also warns that both states could try to use their role to undermine a genuine disarmament of Hamas.

Jonathan Schanzer from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies is fundamentally critical of the involvement of Turkey and Qatar. Both are financial, ideological and military supporters of Hamas and share responsibility for the outbreak and duration of the Gaza war. Their involvement undermines the declared goal of the new peace organization and makes a credible disarmament of the terrorist organization unlikely. At the same time, Schanzer also admits that Israel’s room for maneuver is limited. Participation in the “Board of Peace” is less an expression of consent than the result of strategic dependencies.