Israel says U.S. Gaza executive board composition against its policy

TEL AVIV: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday that this week's Trump administration announcement on the composition of a Gaza executive board was not coordinated with Israel and ran counter to government policy.

AI Brief

Netanyahu's office disapproves of Trump administration's Gaza executive board announcement, stating it was not coordinated with Israel and goes against Israeli policy.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will discuss the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but specifics of the disagreement were not disclosed.
The executive board includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, a move opposed by Israel, as well as other figures like Sigrid Kaag and representatives from the UAE, part of Trump's plan to establish a Palestinian administration in Gaza.

It said Foreign Minister Gideon Saar would raise the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The statement did not specify what part of the board's composition contradicted Israeli policy. An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment.

The board, unveiled by the White House on Friday, includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Israel has repeatedly opposed any Turkish role in Gaza.

Other members of the executive board include Sigrid Kaag, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process; an Israeli‑Cypriot billionaire; and a minister from the United Arab Emirates, which established relations with Israel in 2020.

Washington this week also announced the start of the second phase of President Donald Trump's plan, announced in September, to end the war in Gaza. This includes creating a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in the enclave.

The first members of the so-called Board of Peace - to be chaired by Trump and tasked with supervising Gaza's temporary governance - were also named. Members include Rubio, billionaire developer Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.