Pope Leo XIV is evaluating an invitation by United States President Donald Trump to join his “Board of Peace”, an international body chaired by Mr Trump to oversee the governance and reconstruction of Gaza, the Vatican Secretary of State said yesterday. Source: OSV News.
Speaking with journalists after an event at the Franciscan-run Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome, Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed that Vatican City State was among the countries that received an invitation to join the board.
“I believe I read that Italy is also considering whether or not to join,” Cardinal Parolin said, according to Avvenire, the newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference. “We too have received this invitation: the Pope has received the invitation, and we are considering what to do; we are looking into it.”
The board, which was formally announced by the White House on January 16, will serve as an oversight mechanism for the second phase of the Trump Administration’s “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.”
“The Board of Peace will 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,” the White House said in a statement.
While joining the board would lead to a three-year term, The New York Times reported that Mr Trump is offering countries a permanent seat if they pay $US1 billion ($1.48bn).
As of now, Norway, which has been at odds with Mr Trump over his desire to acquire Greenland, and France have declined the invitation to join. France’s snub prompted Mr Trump to threaten levying 200 per cent tariffs on French wine if French President Emmanuel Macron refused to join.
Cardinal Parolin said the invitation to join the board “requires some time to answer” and that the request “will not be to participate financially” because “we are not in a position to do so.”
The Holy See, “obviously, finds itself in a different situation than other countries, so there will be a different consideration,” the cardinal said.
FULL STORY
Pope evaluating Trump’s invitation to join Board of Peace, Vatican’s secretary of state says (By Junno Arocho Esteves, OSV News)
