Sawt Falasteen - Allies tepid on Trump 'peace board' with $1bln permanent member fee

The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The board's charter, seen by AFP, says that member countries -- represented on the board by their head of state or government -- would be allowed to join for three years or longer if they paid more than $1.0 billion within the first year.

The initial reaction from two key allies, France and Canada, was lukewarm.

France "does not intend to answer favorably" to its invitation, a source close to President Emmanuel Macron told AFP on Monday, noting that the board's charter goes beyond rebuilding and running post-war Gaza -- which was the initial purpose of the board. In fact, the charter does not mention Gaza.

"It raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question," the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, added.

France is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, along with the United States, China, Russia and Britain.

A Canadian government source said Ottawa will not pay to be on the board, after Prime Minister Mark Carney indicated he would accept an invitation to join.

"Canada will not pay for a seat on the board, nor has that been requested of Canada at this time," the government source said, also on condition of anonymity.

Paul Williams, professor of international affairs at George Washington University, told AFP that the Security Council resolution approved in October endorsing Trump's Gaza peace plan only granted the "Board of Peace" authority related to Gaza.

He added that the offer of permanent membership for $1 billion showed Trump is "trying to turn it into a pay-to-play alternative to the UN Security Council but where Trump alone exercises veto power."

The charter states: "Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charter's entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman."

"The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter’s entry into force."

The White House said there would be a main board, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern devastated Gaza, and a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.

"The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter says.

- 'Failed institutions' -

The proposal appears to take a swipe at international institutions such as the United Nations, saying that the board should have "the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed."

Trump has regularly criticized the United Nations and announced this month that his country will withdraw from 66 global organizations and treaties -- roughly half affiliated with the UN.

Daniel Forti, head of UN affairs at the International Crisis Group, a think tank, said at least 60 countries, including other permanent members of the Security Council, have reportedly been invited to join.

"Countries weighing invitations to join the Board might see it as a way to bolster their influence on the world stage and curry favor with the US president," he wrote in a commentary on Monday.

"Many member states, however, see it as a power grab."

Trump would have the power to remove member states from the board, subject to a veto by two-third of members, and choose his replacement should he leave his role as chairman.

Ian Lesser, a distinguished Fellow at the German Marshall Fund think tank, said he would be "surprised if many countries are willing to sign up to an initiative of this kind at a time when most are focused on preserving the existing multilateral institutions."

The "Board of Peace" began to take shape on Saturday when it emerged that the leaders of Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were among those asked to join.

Trump also named as members Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, senior negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Israel has objected to the line-up of a "Gaza executive board" to operate under the body, which includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi.

E.AbuRizq--SF-PST