The Vatican will not join President Donald Trump’s newly launched Board of Peace, a new international coalition designed to oversee post-war recovery efforts in Gaza, according to the Holy See’s top diplomatic official.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed Tuesday that the Holy See is stepping back from formal participation, signaling hesitation from one of the world’s most influential moral and diplomatic institutions.
The Vatican “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” Parolin said, according to the Vatican’s official news outlet.
A Trump-Led Post-War Initiative
The Board of Peace was chartered in January and includes nearly 20 countries. The group is tasked with coordinating reconstruction and humanitarian recovery in Gaza following the devastating Israel-Hamas war — an effort Trump allies have framed as part of a broader push to restore stability to the region without endless international bureaucracy.
Leaders from 17 nations participated in the initial charter signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, including senior officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Trump announced Sunday that participating countries have already pledged more than $5 billion in aid toward rebuilding Gaza — a major early commitment that supporters see as evidence of American leadership returning on the world stage.
Vatican Raises “Critical Issues”
Parolin, responding to questions about Italy also declining to join, acknowledged the board’s intentions but said the Vatican remains uneasy about unresolved concerns.
“There are points that leave us somewhat perplexed,” he said, adding, “there are some critical points that would need to find explanations.”
While emphasizing that action is needed, he noted that for the Holy See, some issues remain unsettled:
“The important thing is that an attempt is being made to provide a response. However, for us there are certain critical issues that should be resolved.”
UN vs. Alternative Coalitions
One of the Vatican’s main objections appears to be structural: Parolin suggested the United Nations — not a Trump-led coalition — should take the lead in managing international crises.
“One concern is that, at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted,” he said.
Republican critics of the UN have long argued the organization is slow, politicized, and ineffective in resolving conflicts — and Trump’s new board may reflect a preference for coalitions of willing nations over traditional global institutions.
More Countries Hesitate
The Vatican is not alone in declining.
Poland and Italy also announced this week that they will not join, even as Israel formally entered the board last week ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.
Invitation to Pope Leo
Trump’s outreach even extended to Pope Leo — the first U.S.-born pope — who received an invitation in January.
