WASHINGTON — Pope Leo XIV has shown openness to a proposal from President Trump.
However, the Holy See has declined Trump’s invitation to participate in a peace commission focused on the troubled Gaza Strip, expressing concerns that such a commission might undermine the United Nations’ authority.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, shared with the media: “There are some aspects that leave us a bit puzzled.”
He elaborated, emphasizing that the UN should be the primary organization handling these global crises. “This has been one of our main points,” he noted.
A senior official from the Trump administration told the Post that the Pope along with the Vatican has welcomed the engagement of various nations in the peace effort.
Last fall, President Trump initially proposed the formation of a peace commission to oversee the rebuilding efforts in Gaza.
This commission was officially launched last month, inviting countries worldwide, including some that have complicated ties with Israel, like Russia and Turkey.
Trump, who recently received the Nobel Peace Prize from Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Colina Machado, chairs this commission, granting him extensive authority, including the right to invite or veto the participation of countries.
His chairmanship seems to be open-ended, potentially lasting beyond his current presidential term.
Recently, Trump announced that the commission would convene in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to highlight a $5 billion commitment from its members for rebuilding Gaza, with its administrative operations based at the newly named Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace.
The commission is also urging Hamas to disarm, a demand that has been firmly resisted by the organization.
Trump stated on Tuesday that the upcoming meeting at the White House would focus on “making Gaza a reality.”
Multiple allies of the U.S., including France, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, have either turned down invitations to join the board or have expressed serious doubts about it.
