The United Nations Security Council will convene a high-level meeting Wednesday to address the fragile Gaza ceasefire and Israel’s expanding operations in the West Bank as diplomatic attention shifts toward President Donald Trump’s upcoming inaugural Board of Peace meeting.
The session in New York was initially planned for Thursday but was moved up, according to The Associated Press, after Trump announced that his newly formed Board of Peace would meet the same day, creating scheduling conflicts for diplomats expected to attend both events.
The AP reported that the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia are expected to attend the monthly Middle East meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security Council.
Several Arab and Islamic nations requested the session last week to address the situation in Gaza and Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank before some of their leaders head to Washington.
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Trump announced Monday that member states of his newly formed Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
He said participating countries have also committed thousands of personnel to an international stabilization force and local policing efforts aimed at maintaining security in the enclave.
In outlining the initiative, Trump said Hamas must adhere to what he described as a commitment to “full and immediate demilitarization,” framing the effort as a broader push toward regional stability.
TRUMP LAUNCHES PHASE 2 OF GAZA PEACE PLAN — BUT HAMAS DISARMAMENT REMAINS THE REAL TEST
Israel formally joined the Board of Peace Feb. 11 ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.
Netanyahu was not present at the initial ceremony held in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, where leaders from 17 countries, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Central and Southeast Asia signed the founding charter alongside Trump.
Netanyahu later agreed to join the initiative after previously raising concerns about the composition of the Gaza executive board, particularly the roles of Qatar and Turkey.
A number of other countries were invited by the White House to participate, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China.
Poland and Italy said they would not join the board.
