US 'wants countries to pay $1bn to stay on Gaza peace board'

Donald Trump wants countries to pay $1bn to be permanent members of the US-backed Board of Peace, according to reports.

The Board of Peace will form a key part of the Gaza peace process but a statement from the office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the US did not coordinate its creation with them. Israel's foreign minister Gideon Saar would raise the issue with US Secretary of State Marco ‍Rubio, the statement added.

The Board of Peace, unveiled by the White House ‌on Friday, will be chaired by Donald Trump and tasked with supervising Gaza's transitional administration. It would include 11 members who will be part of an executive board, plus additional members.

The US administration has reached out to around 60 countries to contribute $1 billion (£747 million) if they want their membership on the board to extend beyond three years, according to a draft charter seen by Reuters and first reported by Bloomberg News. The executive board includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, despite Israel's opposition to any Turkish role in Gaza.

Other members on the "founding executive board" include Mr Trump's special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who both helped negotiate the peace plan, and Mr Rubio. Former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Sigrid Kaag, as well as Nickolay Mladenov, former UN Middle East envoy, who has been appointed High Representative for Gaza, are also part of the executive board.

Other members include US deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel, billionaire Marc Rowan, and World Bank president Ajay Banga, who is Israeli. Jordan's foreign ministry said Sunday that King Abdullah has also received an invitation from President Trump to join.

The offices of the Egyptian and Turkish presidents have confirmed they have been invited. The leaders of France, Germany, Australia and Canada were also reportedly among those invited to sit on the board.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been invited to represent the European Union. Read more from Sky News:Backlash after Trump's tariff threatRapper describes 'massacre' on Iran's streetsMajor General Jasper Jeffers will command an "International Stabilisation Force.