Meet Trump's 'peace board': Tyrants and despots join Tony Blair as President unveils his blueprint for Gaza
Donald Trump unveiled his ‘Peace Board’ at Davos today featuring a roll-call of world leaders with chequered records on human rights.
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On the list of global power brokers, which was snubbed by the UK government and most European nations, are Alexander Lukashenko, whose authoritarian track record in Belarus has led to the nation being described as “Europe’s last dictatorship.”
Also on stage in Davos alongside Trump was Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary, who has been in power since 2010 and transformed the country into what the European Parliament has denounced as a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.”
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who the CIA had concluded, "with a medium to high degree of certainty”, was complicit in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was not present for Saudi Arabia, who also signed up to the Peace board. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud was sent to represent the country instead.
Argentinian President Javier Milei, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani of Qatar, Foreign Minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani and Bulgaria's former Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov were on stage today alongside President Trump.
China has been invited to join but has not yet announced whether it is willing to take part. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said this week: "China has always practised true multilateralism. No matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the UN-centred international system.”
Ten of the 22 countries announced so far on the founding board are included in an ongoing US travel ban, including Uzbekistan, Egypt, Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
As the group of world leaders signed Trump’s charter, the President described the world leaders as ‘friends of mine.’
“Usually I have two or three I can’t stand, I don’t find them up here,” he said.
Trump added that: “We can do whatever we want in Gaza.”
Demanding Hamas return the body of the last remaining Israeli hostage, Trump said he was committed that Gaza would be demilitarised and “beautifully rebuilt” and that he would be “very successful in Gaza”.
“We can do pretty much whatever we want to do”, he said before hastily adding he would do it in conjunction with the UN.
“The UN has tremendous potential; it’s not using it” Mr Trump said. “On the eight wars I ended I have never spoken with the UN about any of them.”
Britain’s Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would not be taking part due to ‘concerns about President Putin’.
Yvette Cooper said: “We won’t be one of the signatories today, because this is about a legal treaty that raises much broader issues.
“We do also have concerns about President Putin being part of something which is talking about peace, when we have still not seen any signs from Putin that there will be a commitment to peace in Ukraine.
“And to be honest, that is also what we should be talking about.”
Former Labour PM Tony Blair joined the list of world leaders as well - being namechecked by Mr Trump.
Sir Tony is an executive member of the peace board alongside Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Sir Tony was present but not on stage for the photo opportunity. He previously said he was ‘honoured’ to be appointed to the founding executive board.
Critics have warned that the organisation - which has a £1billion fee for permanent membership - appears to be an attempt to supplant the UN.
The idea of the ‘Board of Peace’ was announced at a White House press conference in September, with a specific remit to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
However there are concerns about body’s scope being broadened to undermine the UN.
At the signing ceremony today, Donald Trump held up signed documents which indicate the start of the Board of Peace.
Mr Trump said that war in Gaza was "really coming to an end" - that the conflict now consists of "little fires" that he says can be put out easily.
Hamas "probably will" do what they promise to do, Trump said.
"They have to give up their weapons and if they don't do that, it's going to be the end of them
Yesterday Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to join the initiative as well.
Netanyahu's response follows his office's earlier criticism of the executive committee making up the board.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is still consulting with its “strategic partners” before deciding to commit to the plan.
So far 60 countries have been invited to join, but permanent membership will be available for the $1bn fee.
Putin said on Wednesday that he was looking over his invitation to the board after being invited personally by the US President.
The board's charter has not yet been made public, with much speculation surrounding the finer details.
However, an initial draft version obtained by The Associated Press indicates much of the power will be concentrated in the hands of Mr Trump himself.
According to the document, a one billion dollars contribution is required to secures permanent membership.
Russia's statement is understood to refer to the Board of Peace being set up by the US to oversee the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that President Putin had "received an invitation through diplomatic channels to join this Peace Council".
"At the moment, we are studying all the details of this proposal and hope to have contacts with the American side to clarify all the nuances," he added.