Israel objects to composition of Trump-led Gaza ‘board of peace’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on ‍Saturday that this week’s Trump administration announcement on the composition of a Gaza executive board was not coordinated with Israel and ran counter to ⁠government policy.It said Foreign Minister Gideon Saar would raise the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.The statement did not specify what part of the board’s composition contradicted ‍Israeli policy. An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment.The board, unveiled ‍by the White House on Friday, includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Israel has repeatedly opposed ‌any Turkish role in Gaza.Other members of the executive board ‍include Sigrid Kaag, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process; an Israeli-Cypriot billionaire; and a minister from the United Arab Emirates, which established ‌relations with ⁠Israel in 2020.Washington this week also announced the start of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan, announced in September, to end the war in Gaza. This ‌includes creating a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in the enclave.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks at a press conference in Berlin in November. Photo: dpa