US President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his Board of Peace to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with the Hamas terror group, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of a body that could eventually rival the United Nations — despite many US allies opting not to participate.

In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future of the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize Greenland, then by a dramatic retreat from that push.

“This isn’t the United States, this is for the world,” he said of the Board of Peace, adding, “I think we can spread it out to other things as we succeed in Gaza.”

The event featured a video message from Ali Shaath, the chief commissioner of the newly established National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a 12-member panel of Palestinian technocrats tasked with replacing Hamas in running Gaza’s daily affairs.

“This transition will succeed only if it delivers real tangible improvements in daily life for Gazans,” Shaath said before announcing that the Rafah Crossing will reopen next week in both directions — something Israel has refused to allow before the body of the last deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, is returned and Hamas has given up its weapons.

But Board of Peace High Representative Nickolay Mladenov announced later Thursday that “an agreement has been reached” on the matter, indicating that Jerusalem had been consulted and was privately on board.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office didn’t deny the plan to reopen Rafah, issuing a statement to reporters attributed to an anonymous Israeli official who said, “A special effort is underway to return the body of the late Ran Gvili, while making full use of the information in our possession. The security cabinet will discuss this issue and the matter of opening the Rafah crossing at the beginning of next week.”

The new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.

Trump appeared to reinforce some of those fears, declaring, “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do.”

Trump tried not to let those not participating ruin his unveiling party, saying 59 countries had signed onto the board — even though heads of state, top diplomats and other........

© The Times of Israel