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By Mandy Taheri
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Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was not consulted about the White House’s “Gaza Executive Board,” criticizing the panel’s makeup as running “contrary to its policy” in a rare public criticism from a close U.S. ally.
Newsweek has reached out to the State Department and Netanyahu's office for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
The White House said the “Gaza Executive Board” will operate under the broader “Board of Peace,” chaired by President Donald Trump, as part of Phase Two of his 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza that began in 2023. Phase One focused on a temporary ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The administration says the effort is intended to help guide reconstruction and a transition in governance in Gaza.
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Israel is a close U.S. ally, with longstanding diplomatic ties and a deep security partnership that includes extensive U.S. military assistance. Netanyahu and Trump have met several times over Trump's second term, with the Israeli official having visited Mar-a-Lago last month. Israel's post comes the day after it signed a joint statement with the U.S. on artificial intelligence.
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What To Know
The White House announced the Gaza Executive Board members on Friday.
The members include: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff; Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner; Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan; Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi; Egyptian intelligence agency director General Hassan Rashad; former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair; CEO of Apollo Global Management Marc Rowan; UAE Minister Reem Al-Hashimy; Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay; Bulgarian politician Nickolay Mladenov; and United Nations coordinator for humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sigrid Kaag.
There is no Israeli official included in the board, with Netanyahu’s office writing in an X post Saturday that the announcement of the members, “was not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy.”
In a second post, the office said, “The Prime Minister has instructed the Foreign Affairs Minister to contact the US Secretary of State on this matter.”
In addition to the board, the first members of the overarching "Board of Peace" were also named on Friday, with several overlapping members. The appointed members include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel.
What People Are Saying
Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir said in Hebrew in a Saturday statement on X: “I strengthen Prime Minister Netanyahu on his important statement. The Gaza Strip does not need any ‘administrative committee’ to oversee its ‘rehabilitation’– it needs to be cleansed of Hamas terrorists, who must be destroyed, alongside massive voluntary emigration – in accordance with the original plan of President Trump. I call on the Prime Minister to order the IDF to prepare to return to war with tremendous force in the Gaza Strip, in order to achieve the central objective of the war: the destruction of Hamas.”
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on January 15: "It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed. The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said in a January 14 X post: "Today, on behalf of President Trump, we are announcing the launch of Phase Two of the President’s 20-Point Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, technocratic governance, and reconstruction. Phase Two establishes a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), and begins the full demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorized personnel. The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage. Failure to do so will bring serious consequences."
What Happens Next
Additional members of the various boards are expected to be adding in coming weeks.
A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Gaza for months, though it has been repeatedly violated. The Gaza’s Health Ministry, per the AP, reports that more than 71,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's various ground and air offensives following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed 1,200.
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