‘For the world’: Trump launches his Board of Peace that some see rivalling UN
The US president signed the board’s charter at a ceremony at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
US President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his “Board of Peace” to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations – despite many US allies opting not to participate.
“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” Trump said, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”
The event came as Ali Shaath, head of the new technocratic government in Gaza, said the Rafah border crossing would open in both directions next week. That’s after Israel said in early December it would open the crossing, which runs between Gaza and Egypt, but has yet to do so.
FULL EVENT: Donald Trump’s ‘board of peace’ charter announcement
The new board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but has morphed into something far more ambitious – and scepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington take a pass.