Constitutionally, Italy cannot join the board because power would be exercised by one leader over the other boards, the minister said.
listen to this article3 minutes
information
Published February 7, 2026
Italy has said it cannot participate in US President Donald Trump’s “Peace Commission” due to “constitutional restrictions”, marking the latest setback faced by the self-proclaimed “international peacebuilding organization”.
Foreign Minister Antonio Taggiani told the ANSA news agency on Saturday that the contradiction between Italy’s constitution and the peace commission’s charter “cannot be overcome from a legal point of view,” but that Italy “can always discuss peace efforts.”
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Italy joins a number of European countries (including France, Germany and Britain) who are not on the controversial council, which was given the go-ahead by the United Nations last year as the transitional governing body for the post-war Gaza Strip before expanding its powers with a comprehensive charter that makes no reference to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
Italy’s decision comes amid growing concerns that the Global Conflict Mediator, launched last month in Davos, Switzerland, after the US president’s aggressive actions against Greenland, is aimed at overshadowing the United Nations, despite close ties between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Trump’s peace committee chairman.
Tajani pointed to Article 11 of Italy’s constitution, which forbids Italy from joining the organization unless there is “an equality of conditions with other countries,” but this is not the case under the charter, which appoints President Trump as chairman with veto power and the final authority to interpret the constitution.
But after “very positive” talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday, the foreign minister said Italy was “ready to play our role in Gaza by training the police”.
Tajani’s comments, which have led to criticism that the council is effectively a “paid version” of the United Nations as it reportedly requires member states to pay $1 billion for permanent membership, come as the council tentatively prepares for its first meeting in Washington, DC, on February 19.
The rally was scheduled to take place the day after President Trump was scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Saturday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a key Trump ally, said he would travel to Washington for the first council meeting “within two weeks.”
Last month, President Trump invited about 60 countries to join the council. At press time, the official website listed 26 countries participating, including Gaza intermediaries Qatar and Egypt.
Last month, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticized President Trump’s plan, saying, “The fundamental responsibility for international peace and security rests with the United Nations and with the Security Council.”
