Israel says US pick for Gaza executive board was not coordinated and clashes with policy
Israel’s prime minister’s office says the White House did not coordinate its Gaza executive board picks, objecting to at least one member and planning diplomatic follow-up.
Copy link
By Torontoer Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the White States’ announcement of an executive board for Gaza was not coordinated with Israel and ran counter to government policy. The statement, issued on Saturday, said Foreign Minister Gideon Saar would raise the matter with U.S. officials, including Marco Rubio.
The prime minister’s office did not specify which appointments contradicted Israeli policy. An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment on the details.
What Washington announced
The White House unveiled a set of international figures intended to oversee Gaza’s temporary governance, part of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in the enclave. The U.S. said this phase includes creating a transitional technocratic Palestinian administration in Gaza.
- The executive board includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the U.N. special coordinator Sigrid Kaag, an Israeli‑Cypriot billionaire and a minister from the United Arab Emirates.
- The so-called Board of Peace, tasked with supervising Gaza’s temporary governance and to be chaired by Trump, lists members including Marco Rubio, developer Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Why Israel objected
Israel has repeatedly opposed any Turkish role in Gaza. Officials said the White House’s roster was not coordinated with Jerusalem and therefore was at odds with official policy, though they did not spell out which appointments were the problem.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will raise the issue in talks with U.S. counterparts. The Israeli cabinet’s formal response underlines a diplomatic sensitivity around who will have a role in administering Gaza during its transition period.
Regional context
The board’s composition reflects a mix of regional and international actors. The inclusion of a minister from the United Arab Emirates comes after the UAE established relations with Israel in 2020. Turkey’s involvement is more controversial for Israel, given strained ties and competing regional interests.
The plan to create a transitional technocratic administration follows months of fighting that left much of Gaza’s infrastructure and housing in ruins. International actors have framed the board as a mechanism to stabilise governance and coordinate aid and reconstruction during the transition.
Practical questions ahead
The U.S. move launches a phase that will require detailed agreements on the board’s mandate, the selection and authority of Palestinian administrators, and how security and reconstruction will be coordinated. Israel’s objection suggests diplomatic negotiations are likely before the board can operate with broad regional support.
Uncertainties remain about how the board will interact with existing U.N. and Palestinian institutions, and how Israel, Hamas and other stakeholders will respond to international oversight of Gaza’s temporary governance.
Who is on the boards
- Executive board: Hakan Fidan (Turkey), Sigrid Kaag (U.N. special coordinator), an Israeli‑Cypriot billionaire, and a UAE minister.
- Board of Peace: Chaired by Donald Trump, includes Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Israel has indicated it will press the U.S. for changes or clarifications. Washington framed the appointments as part of a broader plan to stabilise Gaza and move toward a post-conflict transition.
The announcement is likely to prompt further diplomatic engagement across the region, as states weigh the implications of international supervision in Gaza and the balance of influence among external actors.
For now, Israel’s public stance is clear: the White House’s selections were not coordinated with Jerusalem and at least one appointment is unacceptable in the government’s view. How the U.S. responds, and whether the board’s roster will change, will shape the next phase of diplomatic work on Gaza.
IsraelGazaUnited StatesTurkeyMiddle East
