‘Board of Peace’ opens with broad backing, Italy prominent as Europe divides

The first formal session of the U.S.-backed Board of Peace on Gaza convened this week with participation from around twenty countries, as Washington seeks to build a new framework for stabilising the wider Mediterranean at a time of strain on traditional multilateral institutions.

According to officials involved in the talks, participants include the United States, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, alongside European representatives from Italy, Greece and Spain. 

The European Commission is attending in an observer capacity. France and Germany are not represented, reflecting unease in some major EU capitals about the forum’s format and its limited transparency.

The initiative follows discussions at Sharm el-Sheikh and its presentation at Davos earlier this year. U.S. officials describe the Board as a flexible platform designed to coordinate political and security responses in the eastern Mediterranean, particularly in relation to Gaza’s stabilisation and reconstruction.

Several diplomats say the absence of formal Palestinian participation complicates deliberations about the enclave’s long term governance, even as Washington argues that early coordination among regional and Western actors is a prerequisite for any durable settlement.

A lean structure for fast coordination

The Board operates on three levels. A ministerial council sets strategic direction. A committee of permanent representatives oversees coordination. 

A small secretariat monitors implementation. Decisions are not legally binding but aim to produce shared guidelines and practical cooperation in intelligence sharing, maritime security and infrastructure protection.

Supporters present the structure as an answer to gridlock in larger institutions such as the United Nations, where divisions among permanent Security Council members have repeatedly stalled action on Middle East crises. 

The model emphasises speed and operational coordination over formal resolutions.

Mediterranean calculations

The wider Mediterranean has become an increasingly contested space, linking European energy security, trade routes through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, and fragile coastal states in North Africa. 

Recent disruptions to shipping lanes and renewed tensions involving Iran have reinforced concerns in both Washington and European capitals about the region’s volatility.

Italy’s visible engagement reflects its long standing effort to position itself at the centre of Mediterranean diplomacy. Greece and Spain share similar geographic stakes, though their participation has been more measured. 

The absence of France and Germany highlights a broader debate within the European Union over how closely to align with U.S.-led ad hoc coalitions.

Diplomats caution that the Board’s long term impact will depend on whether it can move beyond consultation to coordinated action. 

Its launch nonetheless signals a shift in how Washington and some European partners are approaching regional security, favouring compact coalitions over universal forums as competition for influence across the Mediterranean intensifies.