The Gaza Executive Board of the Board of Peace has three European members: Sigrid Kaag, Tony Blair and Nickolay Mladenov.
As a former diplomat (career at the United Nations) and politician (deputy prime minister of the Netherlands from 2022-2024 and leader of a centrist liberal party from 2020-2023), Sigrid Kaag’s decision has de facto brought a semblance of respectability to this Board that makes it now easier for other European countries to join.
Am I the only one who is perplexed by this decision by Sigrid Kaag?
Still perplexed. It could be a career ruining move. What does this community think her political motivations might have been (I exclude economic/financial reasons, given her history)?
Good question. I think answering your question is literally a political minefield But it seems clear that she gives Europe a voice. Maybe more will be relevealed in time.
In the Netherlands, where Kaag is either much admired and quite untouchable (by those in the center) or hated (by those on the right), it definitely is a minefield. I don’t want to express me about that (as I am not from that country). I think in this particular instance which has little to do with the Netherlands, she is throwing her reputation to grabs for a highly contentious initiative. De facto her boss is now Trump (as chairman of that initiative). So far she has not commented, which is also a bit odd.
Well, like you said I’ve nothing to add. I find the whole thing just too weird, don’t know where even to start. If she does it, it’s not for ego or career. Iirc she might be connected to Davos, and that’s all behind closed doors anyway.
And these “Trump initiatives” are set to change soon, considering the Greenland affair and looming US-EU tradewar.
