On Thursday, it was reported that President Donald Trump has established a Peace Commission aimed at achieving peace and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, and the U.S. government is positively considering joining it.
A senior White House official stated that it is actively reviewing the possibility of joining the Peace Commission.
Previously, the State Department had only expressed a general stance of comprehensively considering the invitation to join the Peace Commission, indicating they would assess the situation based on the participation of major countries. However, internally, it seems they view joining the Peace Commission favorably. This marks the first time the government has expressed an active review position.
The Peace Commission, which President Trump announced on January 15, will serve as the highest decision-making body to govern the region until the peace and reconstruction of Gaza are completed. President Trump will serve as its chair.
The U.S. administration previously sent invitations to join the Peace Commission to over 60 countries, including South Korea. Currently, not only Israel but also major Islamic nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt have expressed their willingness to participate in the Peace Commission. Russia is also expected to join. On Wednesday, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump announced that President Putin accepted the invitation to join the Peace Commission.
However, America’s Western allies have shown negative reactions toward joining the Peace Commission. President Trump hinted that the Peace Commission could serve as a replacement for the United Nations (UN), but to secure a permanent seat, a contribution of 1 billion USD would be required.
Given the tensions between Western allies over the U.S. attempt to annex Greenland, it is expected that major European countries will find it challenging to join.
In this context, the government’s intention to actively consider joining the Peace Commission can be interpreted as a diplomatic strategy to seek practical benefits.
As the follow-up negotiations on the U.S.-South Korea joint fact sheet regarding trade and security are ongoing, it appears that they aim to leverage the Peace Commission membership to achieve tangible results. Both countries are engaged in security negotiations, including discussions on nuclear-powered submarines and amendments to the nuclear agreement, as well as semiconductor tariff negotiations.