In an unusual criticism of the US, its closest ally, the Israeli government opposes the White House’s announcement that leaders who will participate in overseeing the next steps in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Saturday, the day after the announcement, that Gaza the executive committee “has not been coordinated with Israel and is against its policy.” Netanyahu told the foreign minister to contact US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the statement said.
A few minutes after this statement from Netanyahu’s office, the Minister of National Security of Israel, Itamar Ben-Gvir, in a statement supported the prime minister and urged him to order the army to prepare to return to the war.
The White House released the names of some of the leaders who will participate in the committee. The list does not include any Israeli officials, but it does include Israeli businessmen.
Other members announced so far include Rubio, President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ali Shaath, an engineer and former head of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Mr. Trump’s national security adviser Robert Gabriel.
The White House said the executive committee will carry out the vision of a “Board of Peace” led by Trump, whose members have not been disclosed.
A US official confirmed to CBS News on Saturday a Bloomberg report that said Mr. Trump wants countries that would like a permanent seat on the Peace Council to contribute $1 billion to it. Countries that refuse to contribute $1 billion will be subject to a three-year freeze, Bloomberg reports.
The American official told CBS News that although there is no need to join the board, countries can contribute $1 billion if they want to be full members, instead of having a membership of only three years.
The US official also told CBS News that any donations would be used to rebuild Gaza. The official said “nearly every dollar” raised would be used for the board’s mandate, adding that there would be no “huge salaries” or “administrative bloat.”
The White House also announced the members of a new Palestinian committee that will handle the day-to-day affairs of Gaza, under the direction of the executive committee.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was invited by Mr. Trump to join the board, an offer he intends to accept, a senior aide told Agence France-Presse on Saturday. A Canadian government official did not provide further details.
Meanwhile, Egypt and Turkey are said to be reviewing Mr. Trump’s invitations to join the group. Egypt’s foreign minister said at a press conference that President Adel Fattah al-Sisi had been invited to join, while Turkey’s presidential office said President Tayyip Erdogan had received a letter from the US president.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second largest militant group in Gaza after Hamas, in a statement also expressed dissatisfaction with the formation of the executive committee and said it reflected Israel’s “information”.
Earlier this week, Witkoff announced that the US would enter into what the White House called the second phase of the Gaza peace process. It will include a new Palestinian committee in Gaza, the deployment of an international security force, the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of the war-torn area.
In an article on X, Witkoff said that it involves Hamas to bring back the remains of a person who ended up in Gaza.
“Failure to do so will have dire consequences,” Witkoff wrote.
The ceasefire went into effect on October 10, the first phase focusing on the return of all remaining hostages to the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, as well as an increase in humanitarian aid and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
