JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join a proposed “Board of Peace” focused on Gaza, his office announced Wednesday.
Netanyahu accepted the invitation and will join the group as a member of its top body, which will include world leaders, the Prime Minister’s Office said in the statement.
Trump’s invitation came despite a 2024 arrest warrant issued for Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The announcement by Netanyahu’s office also came shortly before he was due to appear again before the Tel Aviv Central Court on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
The Board of Peace is described as a Trump-led initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, beginning with Gaza.
Since the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 171,000 wounded, most of them women and children.