US President Donald Trump, serving as chair of the newly formed Board of Peace for Gaza, has invited Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to join the international body, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced Sunday.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in a brief statement quoted by the Anadolu news agency that “the Prime Minister of Pakistan has received the invitation from the President of the United States to join the Board of Peace on Gaza."
He added that “Pakistan remains committed to supporting international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue, in line with United Nations resolutions."
No further details were provided regarding the timing or scope of Pakistan’s participation.
Pakistan officially backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Arab conflict and has a longstanding position of non-recognition of Israel until an independent Palestinian state is established.
At the same time, the two nations have a number of common strategic interests and rumors of a diplomatic breakthrough between the two have been swirling for several years.
In 2022, it was reported that an unofficial delegation of Pakistani nationals had visited Israel.
This past November, Israeli Ministry of Tourism Director General Michael Izhakov was filmed shaking hands with the Advisor to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, during an international exhibition in London.
The White House announced this past Friday that the Board of Peace would “play an essential role in fulfilling" 20 points of Trump’s plan to permanently end Israel’s war on Gaza and rebuild the enclave. The board is tasked with “providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development."
In addition, the US established the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to implement phase two of Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, along with a founding Executive Board and a Gaza Executive Board to support the transitional framework.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said Saturday night that the announcement regarding the composition of the Gaza Peace Council was made without coordination with Israel and contradicts Israeli policy.
Netanyahu instructed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to raise the matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the statement said.