Netanyahu Accepts Seat on Trump’s Gaza ‘Council of Peace’ as Lula Weighs Invitation

Overview

• President Donald Trump confirmed he invited Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to join the new council, and Brazil says it is still evaluating the offer.
• Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted an invitation to participate, according to a report published Wednesday.
• The White House says the council will oversee Gaza’s reconstruction through the NCAG and named founding executive figures including Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner and Tony Blair.
• A draft statute reported by Reuters and other outlets describes lifetime chairmanship for Trump and a US$1 billion fee for permanent seats, a funding claim the White House has denied in earlier reporting.
• Invitations have gone to leaders in multiple countries, with Argentina’s Javier Milei and Paraguay’s Santiago Peña acknowledging letters, as debate continues over sidelining the UN and earlier Israeli complaints about lack of coordination.