STORY: :: Spain says it will not take part in Trump's Board of Peace
:: Brussels, Belgium
:: January 23, 2026
:: Pedro Sanchez, Spanish Prime Minister
"This board is outside the framework of the United Nations and has not included the Palestinian Authority. The future of Gaza, nor the future of the West Bank, let's not forget... The future of Palestine as a whole must be led by the Palestinians, as must the future of its peaceful and secure coexistence with Israel, must be led primarily by Israel and Palestine in a dialogue process that implements the two-state solution."
"We appreciate the invitation, but we decline," Sanchez said, adding the 'Board of Peace' was "outside the framework of the United Nations and has not included the Palestinian Authority."
Washington says the body will help broker and monitor ceasefires, organize security arrangements and coordinate rebuilding in places emerging from war. The concept stems from Trump's Gaza peace plan.
Missing from the board's launch ceremony held at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland's Davos on Thursday were traditional U.S. allies such as Canada, Britain and all European Union members except Hungary and Bulgaria.
Sanchez cited consistency with Madrid's commitment to international law, the U.N. and multilateralism as the main reasons it was declining to participate.
Israel has joined the board, along with Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Touching on the U.S. administration, Sanchez said it was "not respecting international law and straining the transatlantic relationship between the United States and the European Union like never before."
