Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See will not participate in the Board of Peace “because of its [the Vatican’s —ed.] particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States.” Answering journalists on the sidelines of a meeting with the Italian government, Parolin said, according to Vatican News, that “there are points that leave us somewhat perplexed. There are some critical points that would need to find explanations” .
The important thing,” he added, “is that an attempt is being made to provide a response. However, for us there are certain critical issues that should be resolved. One concern is that at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted.”
A few days earlier, Jerusalem Latin Patriarch Giovanbattista Pizzaballa was more candid: “I think that [the Board of Peace] is a colonialist operation [where] others decide for the Palestinians.”
As for the Italian government, it decided to participate as an “observer.” The Meloni government believes it can hit two birds with one stone: not disappointing Trump and at the same time avoiding to violate the Italian constitution, which allows membership in international organizations only “on a parity basis”—a constitutional law which Italy however has violated in the case of the Euro and the EU memberships. Romania, Greece and Cyprus will participate as observers as well. Hungary and Bulgaria have joined as members.
A representative of the EU Commission will also participate as “observer,” while EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Kaja Kallas fired on the Red Cross by saying that the BOP does not reflect the UN resolution that created it, because in its charter does not mention Gaza.
