International diplomacy can flip faster than you can say “Davos photo op.” Just days ago, Israel was openly grumbling about Pakistan getting a seat on US President Donald Trump’s shiny new “Board of Peace” for Gaza. Israeli officials weren’t shy — they flagged Pakistan’s lack of ties with Israel, its strong pro-Palestinian stance, and what they saw as dodgy links to groups like Hamas.
Netanyahu’s team even called out the whole setup as uncoordinated and against Israeli interests, especially with countries like Turkey and Qatar in the mix too.
Fast-forward to Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and boom — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is right there on stage, signing the charter alongside Trump and reps from places like the UAE, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Indonesia, and a bunch more. Pakistan’s foreign ministry put out a affirmation saying they’re in to push for a enduring ceasefire, start up humanitarian aid, and actually get Gaza reconstruct. They tied it to UN Security Council Resolution 2803, framing it as hold up for Palestinian self-determination without throwing shade at anyone.
Israel? They ended up joining anyway. Netanyahu established participation, though with some grumbling about specific subcommittees. It looks like pragmatism won out — staying out meant zero influence over Gaza’s future, and with Trump chairing this thing indefinitely, Israel probably figured better to be in the room.
The Board of Peace started narrow: oversee Gaza’s post-war rebuilding, demilitarization, transitional governance after the long Israel-Hamas fight. Now it’s ballooned into this broader Trump-led body for global conflicts, with big talk of mobilizing funds (including that wild $1 billion permanent membership fee) and preventing militancy from coming back.
Not everyone’s buying in. Major Western players like France, the UK, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and others skipped the signing or voiced uncertainty, worried it might muscle in on the UN’s turf or look too much like a Trump vanity project.
Some even called it a rival to established multilateral setups.
India’s in a classic wait-and-see mode. New Delhi got the invite — Trump sent letters to around 60 countries, including one to PM Modi hyping it as a “historic and magnificent effort” for Middle East peace and global conflict resolution.
But there’s been radio silence so far. No official yes or no. With India’s tight defense links to both the US and Israel, plus the endless Pakistan rivalry (and fresh terror worries), sitting at the same table as Islamabad would be a domestic headache. Government origin say they’re still mulling it over, possibly consulting Arab partners at upcoming meets.
Trump’s pitching it as a game-changer — “everyone wants in,” he said — but detractor see more flash than substance. Gaza’s still wrecked, and turning plans into actual roads, homes, and stability is the real test. For now, Pakistan’s spot despite the early Israeli pushback shows how Trump’s style reshuffles the deck quick. Whether this board delivers real peace or just more headlines? Time will tell.
Sources:
NDTV , Times of India , Al Jazeera , Reuters , CNBC , The Hindu , White House statements, Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
