File Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on as he holds a news conference at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, AFP
The move comes amid sustained international criticism over Israel’s two-year genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave, where Tel Aviv continues to violate the terms of the ceasefire, brokered by Cairo, Doha, Ankara, and Washington and signed on 10 October, by partially obstructing the agreed-upon flow of aid and killing over 562 Palestinians since it went into effect.
Since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, its forces have killed over 72,025 Palestinians and wounded more than 172,000 others, most of them women and children.
The Board of Peace, launched at a founding ceremony in Davos in January, is scheduled to hold a leaders’ meeting in Washington on 19 February.
Initially conceived to supervise implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, it has since been presented by its backers as a broader conflict-resolution mechanism. Several Middle Eastern and Islamic states have expressed support, while key European countries, including France, Norway, and Sweden, have declined to participate, citing concerns that it could sideline the United Nations’ (UN) established role in peace processes.
Netanyahu’s decision to join the body is likely to draw criticism, if not outrage.
Human rights organizations and international legal institutions have documented the heavy toll of Israel's genocidal war on Palestinian civilians.
In late 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on charges including war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the conduct of the war on Gaza, the first such warrants issued against the leader of a Western-backed state.
Death and displacement figures remain staggering.
The overwhelming majority of Gaza’s more than two million population have been forced from their homes at least once, often repeatedly, according to local health authorities and humanitarian observers. Most residential and civic infrastructure lies in ruins.
For example, of Gaza’s 36 hospitals, only a handful remain partially functional. The Israeli military, according to UN data, has carried out more than 400 attacks on medical facilities and personnel.
Thirty-four hospitals have been destroyed or severely damaged, including the Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli Arab (“Baptist”) Hospitals in Gaza City, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, the Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, and the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. At least 150 ambulances have been destroyed, and emergency crews have been routinely prevented from reaching victims.
Netanyahu’s posture on peace is irreconcilable with the reality on the ground.
While the Board of Peace claims a mandate to advance ceasefire implementation and reconstruction, its structure has been criticized for a lack of Palestinian representation and for placing disproportionate influence in the hands of external powers. International rights groups have expressed scepticism, warning the initiative may entrench existing inequalities rather than deliver meaningful relief or justice for Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s office framed his accession to the board as a reaffirmation of commitment to advancing peace and stability, but his government’s track record, particularly its expansion of settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, its hardline policy approach, and the ongoing brutality of its war on Gaza, remain a source of regional and international concern.
As the Board of Peace prepares for its next meeting in Washington, the challenge of reconciling political diplomacy with the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza remains stark, underscored by growing calls for accountability and comprehensive solutions that centre on Palestinian rights and security.
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