President Sheikh Mohamed has accepted an invitation from the US to join the Board of Peace.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the decision reflects the importance of fully implementing US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
This, he said, is critical for the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Sheikh Abdullah also expressed his confidence in Mr Trump’s leadership and commitment to global peace, adding that the UAE is ready to contribute actively to the mission of the Board of Peace and support greater co-operation, stability and prosperity for all.
What is the Board of Peace?
The Board of Peace is hailed by the US as a cornerstone of Mr Trump's peace plan, overseeing Gaza's reconstruction and supporting an interim Palestinian government.
Led by Mr Trump, the board is part of his 20-point peace plan for Gaza, and is responsible for overseeing the second phase of a fragile ceasefire. Plans for phase two include disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza from the ashes of Israel's two-year war.
An executive board includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and former UK prime minister Tony Blair. Also starting work is a committee of Palestinian technocrats handed interim charge of Gaza's day-to-day affairs.
The White House said the board would “play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilising international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development”.
Mr Trump announced the formation of the Gaza Board of Peace last week, with invitations sent to 60 nations. He reportedly hopes to have it signed off in Davos on Thursday.
Last week, the US announced the launch of the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, despite some of the criteria of the first stage not being fulfilled.
The second phase establishes a “transitional technocratic Palestinian administration” – the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza – and begins the full demilitarisation and reconstruction of the enclave.
A ceasefire in October halted two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The war began when Hamas and other groups launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting about 240.
Israel immediately began a large-scale campaign in Gaza that levelled most of the coastal enclave and has killed at least 71,000 people. The UN and several countries have called Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide.
