U.S. Ambassador to Israel expresses doubt about viability of Board of Peace plans

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is questioning whether the Board of Peace can deliver on President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza without more planning and resources from the U.S. government, according to a cable the embassy sent to State Department leadership that was obtained by POLITICO.

The cable, which has not been previously reported, was signed by Huckabee and voiced concern that neither the organization nor the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem have the personnel to move forward with plans to disarm and rebuild the Palestinian enclave. Huckabee’s questions focus on whether the main hub set up to coordinate between the U.S., Israel and international partners — the International Gaza Support Center — will be able to sustain operations after the Pentagon draws down its personnel as planned over the next year, according to the cable. The current plan is for civilians to take over those jobs, the cable notes.

The Board of Peace, created by Trump and launched in February, has a U.N. mandate to set up and coordinate funding for Gaza’s reconstruction, and Europeans who refused to join the board have agreed to align their work with it.