Pope Rejects U.S.-Led Gaza Initiative Over UN Concerns
The Vatican has declined to participate in a U.S.-backed initiative on Gaza, distancing itself from President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” amid concerns that the mechanism could undermine the role of the United Nations in managing international crises.
According to Vatican News, the Holy See received an invitation in late January to join the board but chose not to take part. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s top diplomat, confirmed the decision while speaking to reporters outside a meeting with the Italian government on Tuesday.
Parolin said the Vatican declined “because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” indicating that the structure and intent of the initiative differed from established multilateral frameworks. He emphasized that the Vatican’s longstanding position is that the United Nations should remain the primary body responsible for addressing international conflicts and peace processes.
The decision reflects the stance of Pope Pope Leo, who has previously expressed reservations about unilateral or parallel mechanisms that could weaken multilateral institutions. The pontiff has also been openly critical of some aspects of President Trump’s foreign policy, particularly regarding conflict resolution and humanitarian issues.
The proposed Board of Peace, chaired by Trump, is intended to oversee the demilitarization and reconstruction of Gaza under a ceasefire framework that has been described as having United Nations endorsement. The board is designed to coordinate post-conflict governance arrangements, security oversight and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
However, Vatican officials appear unconvinced that the initiative aligns with international norms of multilateral diplomacy. By declining participation, the Holy See signaled its preference for solutions firmly anchored within the UN system rather than ad hoc bodies led by individual states or leaders.
The Vatican has consistently advocated for a rules-based international order and has supported UN-led mediation and humanitarian mechanisms in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its refusal to join the board underscores broader concerns among some international actors about parallel diplomatic structures potentially diluting the authority and neutrality of the United Nations.
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