Davos (QNN)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the inauguration ceremony of Trump's "Board of Peace" on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. His absence follows Switzerland’s announcement that it is legally obliged to cooperate with the International Criminal Court over an arrest warrant issued against him for war crimes he committed in Gaza, reported Haaretz.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice told the Israeli newspaper that, as a party to the Rome Statute, it must cooperate with the ICC. The office said Swiss authorities would be required to arrest any person subject to an ICC warrant if they entered the country and to begin surrender procedures to the court.
The ICC arrest warrant states that Netanyahu is responsibile for war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza. These include starvation as a method of warfare, deliberate attacks on civilians, murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts. The crimes cover the period from at least October 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024.
Despite Netanyahu’s absence, his office confirmed that Israel will join US President Donald Trump’s so-called "Board of Peace". The White House announced the initiative last week, with its official launch set to take place during the World Economic Forum, where member states are expected to sign the board’s charter.
The charter suggests Trump is positioning the "Board of Peace" as a rival to the United Nations. While it was initially presented as a framework for managing Gaza’s reconstruction, the document does not mention Gaza by name. Instead, it says the board aims to restore “lawful governance” and ensure “enduring peace” in conflict zones, while implicitly criticizing existing international bodies.
So far, around sixty countries have received invitations to join the Board of Peace. In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey have confirmed their participation.
Azerbaijan announced its decision to join on Wednesday, while Armenia’s prime minister confirmed participation earlier this week. Several countries in Europe have not given a clear response. France and Britain have signaled they will not join under the current conditions.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned in a Davos speech that the world is drifting away from rules and international law. He said international law is being trampled and replaced by the rule of force, adding that what he described as “imperial ambitions” are resurfacing.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has responded positively to the idea of joining, though no final decision has been made. Germany said it wants to engage in Gaza’s future within the framework of international law, raising doubts about Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s participation. Brazil, a leading Global South power, is also not expected to join.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Paraguay, Belarus, Hungary, and Vietnam have accepted the invitation. Analysts say continued hesitation from Europe and Western states could turn the Board of Peace into a largely regional bloc centered on the Middle East and the Caucasus.
Haaretz cited a sources who stated that the board’s structure of the board had been coordinated with Netanyahu and that his objections were largely for domestic audiences.
On Saturday, Netanyahu’s office criticized the White House, claiming Israel had not been consulted on officials overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction. A source later said Netanyahu had been informed in advance and that the public rebuke was made for appearances only.
