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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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Israel has joined President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, the group announced late Wednesday in a post from its official X account.
“The Board of Peace welcomes Israel as a founding member of our growing international organization,” the statement said, alongside an image featuring the Israeli and U.S. flags.
The announcement follows weeks of invitations sent to governments around the world as the Trump administration moves forward with what it has described as a new international framework tied initially to Gaza and later expanded into a broader global initiative.
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Why It Matters
Israel’s formal entry into the Board of Peace places it inside one of the most controversial and high‑profile elements of Trump’s evolving foreign policy agenda, particularly as it relates to Gaza and the wider Middle East.
Trump has positioned himself as chairman of the board and has repeatedly described it as central to his push for what he has called “world peace,” while critics argue the initiative risks overlapping with—or undermining—existing international institutions.
Israel’s acceptance comes as the initiative has struggled to gain broad international backing. Though roughly 60 countries were invited when the board was announced late last year, only a limited number have formally joined, with participation largely coming from Middle Eastern regional states rather than traditional Western democracies or long‑standing U.S. allies. Several countries, including Canada and Poland, have declined to participate or distanced themselves from the initiative in recent days, underscoring the uneven response from Washington’s traditional partners.
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Israel’s decision to join marks a shift from its earlier position on the Board of Peace. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had initially raised objections to the initiative, particularly over the makeup of the Gaza Executive Board and concerns about how the body would operate while Israel remains at war in Gaza.
What To Know
Israel had been among dozens of countries reported to have received an invitation to join the Board of Peace earlier this year. Its acceptance now makes it one of the countries formally aligned with the initiative as it moves from announcement to implementation.
The Board of Peace is part of a wider structure unveiled by the White House. That architecture includes the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which is intended to advance the next phase of the U.S. peace plan, as well as multiple executive boards focused on diplomacy, development and governance.
While dozens of countries were contacted, several governments have declined to join. France, the United Kingdom, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden have all said they will not participate, citing concerns about the board’s scope and its relationship to the United Nations.
The Board of Peace was initially framed by the Trump administration as a mechanism to oversee the next phase of its Gaza peace plan, including post‑war governance and reconstruction in the territory. Critics have questioned the involvement of Israel, given that the country remains directly involved in the war in Gaza and would be participating in a body tied to managing its aftermath.
What People Are Saying
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X: “Ahead of my meeting at the White House with President Trump, I signed Israel’s accession as a member of the 'Board of Peace.' We will continue strengthening the unbreakable alliance between Israel and the United States.”
The Board of Peace X account wrote: “The Board of Peace welcomes Israel as a founding member of our growing international organization.”
What Happens Next
With Israel now formally joining, attention is expected to turn to how actively member countries participate and whether additional governments will follow Israel by publicly accepting their invitations.
The board will hold its first meeting on February 19 in Washington to discuss Gaza's reconstruction.
Update 02/13/26, 05:30 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
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