The Board of Peace led by U.S. President Donald Trump was originally envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the Gaza ceasefire plan. The Trump administration's ambitions have ballooned into a more sprawling concept, with Trump extending invitations to dozens of nations and hinting it will soon broker global conflicts, like a pseudo-U.N. Security Council. More details are expected when Trump participates in an announcement about the Board of Peace on Thursday at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. A draft version of the board's charter obtained by The Associated Press indicates much of the power will be concentrated in the hands of Trump himself.
Israeli settlers are celebrating the inauguration of a new settlement in the West Bank on land where Israel and the U.S. once hoped to build a hospital for Palestinian children. The new settlement is called Yatziv and it was inaugurated on Monday at a ceremony attended by key settler leaders, including Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. To settlers, the site is emblematic of how far their movement has come and how emboldened they are now under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government and with President Donald Trump in office. Palestinians nearby say the land was originally theirs and the ever-expanding construction hems them in and makes it nearly impossible to establish a viable independent state.
By JON GAMBRELL and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press
A Iran returns to an uneasy calm after protests led to a violent crackdown, a senior cleric is calling for the death penalty for detained demonstrators. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami's sermon Friday also threatened U.S. President Donald Trump. However, Trump struck a conciliatory tone, thanking Iran's leaders for not executing hundreds of protesters so far, signaling he may be backing away from military action. Executions and the killing of peaceful protesters are two of the red lines laid down by Trump for possible action against Iran. The protests began over economic issues, and have challenged Iran's theocracy. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports a death toll of 2,797.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has outlined his vision for a democratic Iran on social media. His plan includes ending a pursuit of nuclear weapons, confronting drug trafficking, and recognizing Israel. Experts say his proposals, which were expressed in English and not Farsi, seem more aimed at impressing U.S. President Donald Trump than resonating with Iranians. Pahlavi's influence is unclear, as nearly 50 years of theocratic rule have stifled the opposition. While some Iranians chant his name, experts believe it's due to a lack of alternatives. Pahlavi's appeal is limited by his family's long exile, as well as by bitter memories among Iranians of his father's rule.
Israeli strikes in central Gaza have killed eight people, including three women, following the U.S. announcement of a second phase in the fragile ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the ceasefire largely symbolic, questioning its implementation. The announcement marked progress but left many questions unanswered, including the composition of a proposed Palestinian governing committee and the deployment of international forces. Palestinians in Gaza expressed skepticism about changes on the ground, citing ongoing violence and hardships. The second phase of the ceasefire faces challenges, including disarming Hamas and transitioning governance. Reconstruction is expected to take years and cost over $50 billion.
The United States says it's moving into the next phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan involving disarming Hamas, rebuilding the war-ravaged territory and establishing the group of Palestinian experts that will administer daily affairs. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff says on social media the ceasefire the Republican president helped broker was entering its second phase following two years of war between Israel and Hamas. Witkoff didn't offer any details Wednesday about a new transitional Palestinian administration that would govern Gaza. But other mediators Egypt, Turkey and Qatar said the committee to administer Gaza would be led by a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority.
By JON GAMBRELL and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press
Iranian officials signaled that fast trials and executions lay ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests while the Islamic Republic promised a "decisive response" if the U.S. or Israel intervene in the domestic unrest. The threats emerged Wednesday as some personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate following President Donald Trump's escalated warnings of potential military action over the killing of peaceful demonstrators. Mohammad Pakpour is the commander of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. He reiterated Iranian claims that the U.S. and Israel have instigated the protests but did not provide evidence. That's according to Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency.
By FATIMA HUSSEIN and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press
President Donald Trump's administration has made good on its pledge to label three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations, imposing sanctions on them. The Treasury and State departments announced the actions Tuesday against the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, which they say pose a risk to the United States. The State Department has designated the Lebanese branch a foreign terrorist organization, the most severe of the labels. This makes it a criminal offense to provide material support to the group. The Jordanian and Egyptian branches are listed by Treasury as specially designated global terrorists for providing support to Hamas. Muslim Brotherhood leaders have said they renounce violence.
