Norway will host a spring meeting of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee for Palestinian aid but will not take part in U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, the Norwegian foreign ministry said Thursday.
Trump earlier on Thursday told the first meeting of his peace initiative that $7 billion has been raised for a Gaza reconstruction fund and that Norway had agreed to "host an event bringing together the Board of Peace."
Norway has for decades led the AHCL, which was set up in the wake of the 1993-1995 Oslo Accords that sought to bring to an end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, although peace in the region remains elusive.
"The United States, together with the European Union, are vice-chairs of this group... We are in contact with the U.S. about how we can also talk about the peace plan for Gaza there," a spokesperson for Norway's foreign ministry said.
"Norway has clearly communicated that we will not become a member of the Board of Peace, and this position remains firm."
