US President Donald Trump shakes hands with leaders and representatives of countries at the "Board of Peace" meeting in Davos. (Jan. 22, 2026)
Netanyahu rejected US request for ‘Israel’ President to attend Board of Peace ceremony: Axios
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a direct request from the White House for President Isaac Herzog to represent ‘Israel’ at the launch of President Donald Trump's Board of Peace in Davos, Switzerland, sources told Axios.
The decision has sparked tensions between Jerusalem and Washington, raising questions about ‘Israel's’ full commitment to the US-backed initiative aimed at overseeing the fragile Gaza ceasefire, as Washington wanted an ‘Israeli’ senior figure on stage to show that the board is backed by both sides.
The Board of Peace, unveiled by Trump during the World Economic Forum on Thursday is designed to monitor the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Invitations were extended to 58 countries, including ‘Israel’, with options for heads of state, government leaders, or representatives to attend.
While Netanyahu himself did not travel to Davos due to an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant, Herzog was already present at the forum.
White House officials approached Netanyahu's office on Tuesday and Wednesday, proposing that Herzog sit on stage with other leaders and sign the board's charter.
According to sources, Netanyahu vetoed the idea, insisting that the invitation was addressed to him personally and not to Herzog.
This led to a series of "tense and difficult" phone calls between senior White House officials and Netanyahu's team.
Despite ongoing efforts to resolve the impasse right up until hours before the Thursday ceremony, Netanyahu held firm, resulting in ‘Israel's’ notable absence from the event.
The episode has not only strained relations with the White House but also created friction between Netanyahu's office and Herzog's.
On Wednesday evening, the White House had optimistically included ‘Israel’ in a list of 21 participating countries circulated to attendees, hoping for a last-minute turnaround.
White House officials chose not to escalate the dispute, instead shifting focus to other pressing issues, such as urging ‘Israel’ to reopen the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
Trump's advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, arrived in ‘Israel’ on Saturday evening for meetings with Netanyahu, where the Rafah issue is expected to take center stage.
