Vatican says it will not participate in Trump's 'Board of Peace'

The Vatican's top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, confirmed the decision on Tuesday, emphasising that international crises should remain under the jurisdiction of the United Nations.

The rejection follows a January invitation extended to Pope Leo.

As the first American pontiff and a known critic of certain Trump policies, Pope Leo frequently condemns the dire conditions in Gaza.

Representing 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, the Vatican generally avoids participating in such international boards, relying instead on its vast diplomatic network and its status as a permanent observer at the UN. Parolin explained that the Holy See's "particular nature" distinguishes it from traditional states, contributing to its decision to opt out.

A Controversial Governing Body Chaired by Trump, the Board of Peace is set to hold its inaugural meeting this Thursday in Washington to discuss the reconstruction of Gaza.

The initiative originally stemmed from Trump’s Gaza plan, which resulted in a fragile October ceasefire, and was initially designed to oversee the temporary administration of the Palestinian enclave.

However, Trump has since expanded the board's mandate to address global conflicts at large.

The international community has responded with caution, amid fears from experts that the board could undermine the authority of the U.N. While several of Washington’s Middle Eastern allies have signed on, Western allies have notably kept their distance.

The European Union and Italy have stated they will not formally join the board, opting instead to send representatives to Thursday's meeting strictly as observers.

Furthermore, the board has faced intense backlash since its launch last month.

Rights experts have likened Trump’s oversight of a foreign territory's governance to a colonial structure, and the initiative has drawn heavy criticism for entirely excluding Palestinian representation.

The Deteriorating Situation in Gaza.

The board's formation comes against the backdrop of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.

The October truce has been repeatedly violated, resulting in the deaths of four Israeli soldiers and hundreds of Palestinians since the ceasefire began.

The wider Israeli military offensive has claimed more than 72,000 lives, triggered a severe hunger crisis, and internally displaced the entirety of Gaza's population.

Human rights experts, scholars, and a U.N. inquiry have stated that the military campaign amounts to genocide.

In response, Israel maintains that its actions are legitimate self-defense following the late 2023 attacks by Hamas-led militants, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and the capture of over 250 hostages.

Reuters