France to decline Trump Gaza “Board of Peace” invite: AFP

• France signaled it will not join President Donald Trump’s proposed "Board of Peace," citing fundamental concerns that the body’s charter undermines the United Nations and established international law, according to sources cited by AFP. 
• French officials characterized the initiative as an attempt by the US to bypass multilateral institutions and create a new global order centered on concentrated executive power and "veto" rights for the American president.

France "does not intend to answer favourably" to an invitation to join US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace", a source close to President Emmanuel Macron told AFP on Monday.

The board's charter "goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza", the source said, adding "it raises major questions, particularly regarding respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, which under no circumstances can be called into question".

French officials expressed concern that the initiative seeks to bypass the principles and structures of the United Nations, which France maintains "cannot be questioned under any circumstances."

"France remains fully committed to a ceasefire in Gaza and a credible political horizon for Palestinians and Israelis," the source stated, but emphasized that any solution must be rooted in "effective multilateralism" rather than unilateral frameworks.

A Competitive Global Order

In a speech before the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences on Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the Board of Peace as being "very far from the UN Charter."

Barrot argued that the initiative is an example of a growing global "duopoly" between the United States and China.

He suggested that both nations are developing "alternative visions" to the UN Charter with the goal of establishing a new international order in which they play a dominant, singular leadership role.

Powers of the "President"

According to a copy of the charter obtained by AFP, the Board of Peace would be granted primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security in Gaza and elsewhere.

However, French officials highlighted the "wide-ranging powers" granted to the board’s chair. The charter reportedly allows the president of the board to approve the participation of members, appoint his own successor, and exercise a unilateral veto over any decision made by a majority of the members.

Commitment to International Law

The French Foreign Ministry reaffirmed France's commitment to the United Nations as a permanent member of the Security Council. In a separate statement, the ministry described the UN Charter as the "cornerstone of effective multilateralism."

"International law, the sovereign equality of states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes must take priority over arbitrariness, power relations, and war," the ministry stated, distancing Paris from the US proposal.