New Zealand rejects Trump’s invitation to join Gaza peace board
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that New Zealand will not join the American President Donald Trump’s peace board amid caution among America’s Western allies over the Gaza initiative.
The New Zealand government said it would need more clarity on the board it aims to replace the United Nations with. After this, the spark flared up, causing concern over its true intentions going forward. This issue is not addressed in the draft charter of the Gaza Confrontation board.
“The government has considered President Trump’s invitation and has decided not to join the peace board in its current form,” Mr Luxon said on Friday.
Mr Lakson said he agreed with the Foreign Ministry’s position in rejecting the invitation and said all three coalition parties were in alliance.
The US president last week launched the peace board, originally intended to help end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas and oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. But its true intentions have caused confusion and concern among America’s Western allies after Mr Trump said he envisioned a broader role involving other global powers.
The board’s broad language has raised concerns in other countries that it could be an attempt by Mr Trump to create an alternative to the UN at a time when he withdrew the United States from dozens of UN agencies, including the World Health Organization, earlier this month.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on X that it was important that the board’s work be “complementary and consistent” with the UN charter for Gaza.
“In particular, many states in the region have stepped forward to contribute to the Board’s role on Gaza, and New Zealand will not make any significant contribution to this,” he wrote.
“This is a new body, and we need clarity on this and other questions related to its scope now and in the future. New Zealand will not join the board in its current form but will continue to monitor developments.”
Labour leader Chris Hipkins called on the Prime Minister to be “too polite” about the invitation and described the delay as an “absolute disgrace”.
“Not joining the peace board is absolutely right; it is absurd that Christopher Luxon would even consider it.
It is absurd to think that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin can sit around a table and make decisions about a country’s peace while they are fighting their own wars.
“The idea that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin can sit around a table and make decisions on the peace of a country while they are fighting their own wars is absurd.”
Britain and many other key US allies were ignored at Mr Trump’s high-profile signing ceremony to launch his Gaza initiative.
Canada, Italy and several other Western powers overturned the World Economic Forum event in Davos. France, Norway and Sweden have indicated they will not attend.
The Board describes itself as “an international organisation that seeks to promote stability, restore credible and legitimate governance, and ensure lasting peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict”.
Membership is limited to states invited by President Trump and willing to contribute $1 billion toward permanent status, although members can still be removed at their discretion.
The US President has stressed that his board will work closely with the United Nations, but his assurances are struggling to achieve their goals after his threats. Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally.
Mr Trump will also serve as the first US representative on the board – a position his successor will inherit – but will remain chairman of the board for life.
However, several Middle Eastern and Asian countries have come on board, including Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. America says that 35 countries, including Israel, have agreed to participate in this project.
