Top diplomat Kaja Kallas says Europe must be “a player, not just a payer,” in rebuilding Gaza.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday that the EU wants to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed transitional authority for governing the Gaza Strip, known as the “Board of Peace.”
“Yes, we feel that Europe has a great role, and we should also be on board with this,” Kallas told reporters in Kuwait, where EU and Gulf Cooperation Council officials held a joint meeting.
The EU, one of the largest donors of aid to the Palestinians, maintains relations with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Kallas argued that Europe’s political and financial influence makes it a natural participant in Gaza’s reconstruction and governance efforts.
“I think Europe should be not only a payer, but also a player,” she said, emphasizing that the bloc has already worked with Arab partners on elements of the peace plan. “They understand that it is in everyone’s interest if we are there—so hopefully the Israelis agree to this as well.”
Her remarks come days after Trump unveiled a sweeping 20-point proposal to end the Gaza conflict and establish a transitional system of governance for the war-torn territory.
The plan calls for Gaza to be administered by an apolitical Palestinian technocratic committee responsible for public services, operating under the supervision of the “Board of Peace.”
The proposed board—chaired by Trump and expected to include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair—would oversee the flow of reconstruction funds and coordinate international support until the Palestinian Authority completes internal reforms and reassumes control of Gaza.
Hamas and Israel are currently engaged in indirect negotiations in Cairo over elements of the U.S.-backed proposal.
For the European Union, participation in the Board of Peace would signal a renewed attempt to shape Middle East diplomacy after years of limited influence.
EU officials have long complained that the bloc’s role in Israeli-Palestinian affairs has been reduced to writing checks for humanitarian assistance without a seat at the strategic table.
“We have the leverage, the expertise, and the relationships,” Kallas said. “If peace is to be sustainable, Europe must be part of it—not just financing it from the sidelines.”
