Donald Trump has appointed former British prime minister Tony Blair, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner to a newly created Gaza “board of peace”. The seven-member executive board, chaired by Trump himself, is intended to oversee the reconstruction and governance of the war-ravaged territory.
The White House said each board member will manage a specific portfolio, including governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment, and capital mobilisation. Further appointments are expected in the coming weeks. The United States said it remains committed to working in partnership with Israel, key Arab nations, and the international community.
Blair’s inclusion is likely to prove contentious. He remains a divisive figure in the Middle East for his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and his later tenure as Quartet envoy was seen as too close to Israel. Trump said last October: “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody.”
The board also includes property developer Steve Witkoff and World Bank president Ajay Banga. Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum were named senior advisers, while former UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov will serve as High Representative for Gaza. The announcement follows the formation of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, headed by Ali Sha’ath, to run day-to-day affairs.
The peace plan, launched on 10 October, has brought a ceasefire and release of hostages, but phase two faces challenges. Hamas has not committed to full disarmament, and Israeli demolitions continue. Democratic congresswoman Rosa DeLauro said phase one implementation is still lacking in key areas.
