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Sunday, Jan 25, 2026
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Netanyahu Rejects White House Request for Israel’s President to Attend Board of Peace Ceremony
Prime Minister declines U.S. proposal for Israel’s head of state to join launch of new diplomatic initiative amid sensitive Gaza peace efforts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined a White House request to have Israel’s President Isaac Herzog attend the upcoming launch ceremony of the so-called Board of Peace, a new diplomatic initiative linked to the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The event, scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, was seen by Washington as a significant step in advancing international support for the broader peace strategy.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, senior U.S. administration representatives engaged in multiple talks with Netanyahu’s aides to secure Israel’s participation at the presidential level.
Ultimately, Netanyahu’s office rejected the request, preferring not to send the Israeli head of state to the formal launch.
The White House did not escalate the matter, and none of the principal offices involved — including those of Netanyahu, Herzog or the U.S. government — issued public comments on the disagreement.
The Board of Peace initiative was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump as part of an expanded diplomatic framework intended to oversee post-ceasefire governance and reconstruction in Gaza.
The board has attracted invitations to dozens of countries, with some leaders already confirming attendance and others weighing their involvement.
Israel has been included among the invited states, and Netanyahu recently agreed to join the board itself despite earlier objections to aspects of its composition.
His decision reflects a complex diplomatic balancing act as leaders navigate the sensitivities of the peace process.
Observers say the rejection of Herzog’s attendance underscores the delicate nature of Israeli-U.S. cooperation on post-conflict arrangements and the internal debates within Israel about how to engage with multilateral initiatives tied to Gaza.
The ceremony in Davos, where the board’s charter will be formally signed, remains scheduled to proceed with participation from many international figures, and the composition and role of the Board of Peace continue to evolve as part of the broader effort to stabilise the region and implement the ceasefire blueprint.
The event, scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, was seen by Washington as a significant step in advancing international support for the broader peace strategy.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, senior U.S. administration representatives engaged in multiple talks with Netanyahu’s aides to secure Israel’s participation at the presidential level.
Ultimately, Netanyahu’s office rejected the request, preferring not to send the Israeli head of state to the formal launch.
The White House did not escalate the matter, and none of the principal offices involved — including those of Netanyahu, Herzog or the U.S. government — issued public comments on the disagreement.
The Board of Peace initiative was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump as part of an expanded diplomatic framework intended to oversee post-ceasefire governance and reconstruction in Gaza.
The board has attracted invitations to dozens of countries, with some leaders already confirming attendance and others weighing their involvement.
Israel has been included among the invited states, and Netanyahu recently agreed to join the board itself despite earlier objections to aspects of its composition.
His decision reflects a complex diplomatic balancing act as leaders navigate the sensitivities of the peace process.
Observers say the rejection of Herzog’s attendance underscores the delicate nature of Israeli-U.S. cooperation on post-conflict arrangements and the internal debates within Israel about how to engage with multilateral initiatives tied to Gaza.
The ceremony in Davos, where the board’s charter will be formally signed, remains scheduled to proceed with participation from many international figures, and the composition and role of the Board of Peace continue to evolve as part of the broader effort to stabilise the region and implement the ceasefire blueprint.
