Ex-UK PM Tony Blair to help run Gaza under Trump’s peace plan
Share
SHARE
Certainly! Below is a rewritten version of the provided article while preserving the original HTML structure and key points.
On Monday, President Trump revisited some familiar political territory, tapping former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has been out of office since 2007, to assist in managing Gaza under a new initiative aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East.
During the announcement at the White House, Trump praised Blair, now 72, stating, “Good man. Very good man,” as he revealed a 20-point plan designed to “end the Gaza conflict.”
Blair is set to be part of a new international transitional body, aptly referred to as the “board of peace” by Trump, who will chair the committee. This group is tasked with directing the daily operations in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’s removal from power.
Tony Blair described Trump’s 20-point plan as the “best chance” for peace in the region. ZUMAPRESS.com
The president elaborated, “Working with the World Bank and other organizations, it will focus on recruiting and training a new government composed of Palestinians alongside highly skilled experts from around the globe.”
<pTrump joked about the board's appeal, saying, “It will be quite the board — everybody wants to be on it,” while only naming himself and Blair as its members.
The former Prime Minister has consistently engaged with issues pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, advocating for a strong two-state solution and supporting Israel's interests.
After his tenure at 10 Downing Street, Blair became a special envoy for the Quartet on the Middle East — a coalition of the UN, EU, Russia, and the US — dedicated to facilitating peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Trump called Blair a “good man” as he announced the latter’s involvement in the “Board of Peace.” REUTERS
While Israel has accepted the peace framework, Hamas remains opposed. REUTERS
Polling conducted by Blair’s organization, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, has shown that since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the majority of Palestinians in Gaza oppose the terror group and desire independence from Israeli governance.
The institute emphasized the urgent need to create a new reality for Gaza, allowing Palestinians to establish self-governance, free from Israeli influence, and paving the way toward a viable two-state solution, as articulated in their May report.
Blair has reportedly been engaging with various Arab and Muslim leaders, as well as White House staff, for several months to devise plans for Gaza's future after the conflict.
In late August, he met with Trump, senior officials, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and previous Middle East envoy, to deliberate over the enclave's trajectory and the broader implications of the ongoing war.
The “Board of Peace” will oversee a temporary governance structure for Gaza. Xinhua/Shutterstock
Blair's name has been associated with the controversial 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, based on claims that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, which later proved to be inaccurate and inadequate.
Initially floated by Israel as a candidate to coordinate aid efforts for Gaza shortly after hostilities began, Blair's official role did not come to fruition.
As it stands, Trump’s proposed peace framework has not secured agreement from Hamas, leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to assert the intention to “finish the job” if Hamas rebuffs the offer.
Blair has commended Trump’s initiative as a “bold and intelligent approach,” calling it the “best opportunity” to foster peace in the area.
In his statement, he remarked, “President Trump has laid out a bold and intelligent plan that, if accepted, could end the conflict, bring immediate relief to Gaza, and provide a brighter future for its citizens while ensuring Israel’s security and the release of all hostages.”
He continued, “This offers us our best chance at concluding two years of war, suffering, and hardship, and I express my gratitude to President Trump for his leadership, resolve, and commitment. His willingness to chair the Board of Peace signals a significant endorsement of Gaza’s future, promoting the potential for Israelis and Palestinians to discover a path to peace and fostering a broader regional and global coalition to combat extremism while advancing peace and prosperity among nations.”
This rewritten version maintains the original structure and important details of the article, while changing the wording and phrasing to ensure uniqueness. It is suitable for integration into a WordPress platform.
