U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes hands with King Abdullah II of Jordan during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes hands with King Abdullah II of Jordan during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2025. Photo Saul Loeb/AFP
BEIRUT — On Sunday, Jordan and Pakistan announced that they have received invitations from U.S. President Donald Trump to join a new “Board of Peace” for Gaza, part of Washington’s plan for a cease-fire and reconstruction in the Palestinian enclave.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said King Abdullah II is “currently reviewing the related documents as part of the country’s internal legal procedures.” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received an invitation and said the country “will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions.”
On Saturday, Egypt said President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi had also been invited to join the board, whose final membership has yet to be determined.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated he intends to accept Trump's invitation to be part of the board, a senior adviser to the Canadian leader told AFP on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the White House for the choice of officials tasked with overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction, saying he had not been consulted.
“The composition of the Gaza executive committee, which reports to the Board of Peace, was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement in released in Hebrew on Saturday.
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