The selection of Tony Blair for a potential role in the new Gaza peace plan has sparked intense international debate. The former British Prime Minister, known for his controversial role in the Iraq war, appears to be back in the spotlight in the Middle East – this time not as a war architect, but as a peace mediator.
Read: Tony Blair returns hoping he learned from his first failure
Britain has maintained historic ties with Palestine since 1922, when it assumed administration from the League of Nations. The commitments of the Balfour Declaration and subsequent tensions between Jews and Arabs ultimately led to Israel’s creation in 1948.
Trump’s proposal for Tony Blair’s role and the reactions
Donald Trump presented a 20-point plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for two years.
It envisions Hamas disarmament, regional reconstruction, and the creation of a transitional technocrat government overseen by an international body – the so-called “Peace Council.”
Trump reportedly wants to personally lead the body, while Tony Blair is proposed for a key role. His potential involvement, however, has drawn sharp criticism.
Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti told CNN that Blair should “stay in his country and let Palestinians govern themselves.”
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese was even more scathing, writing on X:
“Tony Blair? No! Hands off Palestine! Perhaps we should meet in The Hague?”
Tony Blair: From Iraq war to the “Peace Council”
The shadow of the Iraq war continues to haunt Blair’s political legacy.
In 2003, collaborating with then-US President George Bush, he launched the Iraq invasion citing Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction — claims that later proved false.
The Chilcot Report, published in 2016, reached damning conclusions: British intelligence lacked sufficient evidence and the war should never have been started.
Despite criticism, Blair maintained an active Middle East role as Special Envoy of the Quartet (US, EU, Russia, UN), but his efforts led to no substantial progress.
A new plan for Gaza?
Today, his “Tony Blair Institute for Global Change” is involved in Gaza reconstruction plans, something the Institute itself denies.
Trump has already presented videos depicting the so-called “Trump Riviera” and an “Elon Musk” industrial park, causing global outcry.
Blair, however, limited himself to calling the plan “bold and smart,” saying it offers the “best opportunity” for Gaza peace — without confirming whether he will take an official role.
Source: Deutsche Welle
