Vatican rejects President Trump Board of Peace initiative for Gaza recovery

The Vatican will not join President Donald Trump’s newly created Peace Board, its top diplomatic official said Tuesday, signaling the Vatican’s reluctance to take part in the post-war initiative.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that the Vatican “will not participate in the Peace Council due to its special nature, it is clear that it is not like that of other states,” the Vatican’s official news source reported.

The Peace Board, which was established in January and includes nearly 20 countries, is tasked with managing recovery efforts in the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas war.

Answering questions about Italy’s refusal to join the board, Parolin said, “There are points that surprise us a little,” and added that “there are some critical points that need to be explained.”

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“What is important is that an attempt is made to provide a response,” he said. “But there are some critical issues for us to solve.”

Parolin continued: “One concern is that the UN should first and foremost manage these crisis situations at the international level. This is one of the points we insist on.”

Pope Leo, the first pope of the United States, received an invitation to join the peace council in January.

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The Vatican has refused to join a US-backed panel tasked with overseeing post-war efforts in Gaza. (Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images)

The first convention signing ceremony, held in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, was attended by leaders from 17 countries, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia.

Israel officially joined the board last week, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.

Many countries, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China, were also invited by the White House.

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President Donald Trump’s newly formed Peace Council will move forward without the involvement of the Vatican. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Poland and Italy announced on Wednesday that they would not participate.

Trump announced Sunday that his board members have pledged more than $5 billion in aid to Gaza.

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The president said the funding would be formally committed during a meeting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.