Antonio Tajani in Washington: Italy Joins New Gaza Council

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, represents the government in Rome during the first formal meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington. This body, operating under the chairmanship of Donald Trump, aims to implement a new, 20-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Italy participates in the deliberations as an observer, which Tajani justifies by the need to safeguard the economic and political interests of the region, especially in the context of the future reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave. However, the presence of the Italian representative has sparked a storm on the domestic political scene, where opposition parties Five Star Movement and Democratic Party accuse the government of legitimizing a "private club of interests." Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the international community has repeatedly established temporary committees and contact groups aimed at mediating the Middle East conflict, usually under the auspices of the UN.The Washington initiative has led to a clear rift within the European Union. France expressed strong opposition to the involvement of the European Commission, which delegated Commissioner Dubravka Šuica to participate in the meeting. Meanwhile, Germany, after initial hesitation, decided to send a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official as an observer, increasing the number of present European countries to fourteen. The situation is complicated by the official refusal of the Vatican, which stated that peace should not be a partisan issue, which the White House received with evident regret. Critics fear that the new structure aims to completely marginalize the role of the United Nations and its agencies, such as UNRWA. Participants (observers or members): 14, Remaining EU members: 13 Before flying to the USA, Minister Tajani was in Tirana, where he participated in talks concerning Corridor VIII. This is a strategic infrastructure project connecting the Adriatic Sea to the Black Sea, considered by Rome a political and economic priority. Tajani emphasized that the stability of the Western Balkans and their integration with the EU are crucial for the continent's security, similar to the resilience of eastern EU regions bordering Ukraine. Italian diplomacy thus tries to balance loyalty to the new US administration with maintaining cohesion within European structures and regional development projects. 20 points — the Trump administration's peace plan comprises„I am going to Washington to represent Italy as an observer, to follow discussions and decisions concerning the reconstruction of Gaza and the future of Palestine.” — Antonio Tajani[{"dateISO": "2026-02-18T11:00", "date": "February 18, 11:00", "title": "Visit to Tirana", "description": "Meeting with Albanian authorities regarding Corridor VIII."}, {"dateISO": "2026-02-18T21:00", "date": "February 18, 21:00", "title": "Departure to USA", "description": "Minister Tajani travels to Washington at the invitation of the White House."}, {"dateISO": "2026-02-19T09:00", "date": "February 19, 09:00", "title": "Inauguration of Board of Peace", "description": "Start of official deliberations chaired by Donald Trump."}]