Tony Blair will not serve on Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza “board of peace” after objections from Arab and Muslim nations, according to the Financial Times. The former UK prime minister had been widely expected to take a key role in the transitional authority for Gaza, but has been quietly removed from consideration.
Blair’s potential involvement had been touted by Trump in late September when he unveiled a 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war. Trump described Blair as a “very good man” at the time. However, critics pointed to Blair’s controversial legacy, including his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion and his lacklustre performance as Quartet representative for Middle East peace.
The plan, which had input from Blair’s Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI), was criticised for lacking a clear timeline for Palestinian statehood and for proposing separate legal frameworks for Gaza and the West Bank. This raised fears that the two non-contiguous Palestinian territories might no longer be seen as a single entity.
Despite Blair’s reported meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late November to discuss the plans, opposition from Arab nations proved insurmountable. Trump had acknowledged in October that Blair was a controversial figure, saying: “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody.”
An ally of Blair confirmed he would not sit on the board, which will consist of serving world leaders, with a smaller executive board underneath. Blair’s office declined to comment. His exclusion marks another chaotic episode in Trump’s Gaza plans, which have faced difficulties recruiting nations for a proposed peacekeeping force amid continued Israeli strikes.
