White house Gaza plan assigns unexpected roles to Blair and Trump

The White House unveiled a controversial plan Monday to end the Israeli war in Gaza, assigning prominent roles to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Under the proposal, Gaza would be governed by a temporary Palestinian committee of non-political technocrats. No specific Palestinian individuals or groups were named for the transitional authority.

An international body called the “Peace Council” would oversee the committee, chaired by Trump and including global figures such as Blair. The council would manage Gaza’s day-to-day public services and municipal affairs, with “qualified Palestinians and international experts,” while Hamas would have no governing role.

The plan has sparked surprise and criticism, particularly over Blair’s involvement. Critics point to his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion, launched on the false claim that Baghdad possessed weapons of mass destruction, a move that left the region destabilized and caused massive civilian casualties.

The governing body is tasked with funding Gaza’s redevelopment until the Palestinian Authority completes its reform program, though no timeline was provided. Some proposals for reconstruction were reportedly drafted by unspecified international groups. The Palestinian Authority and a coalition of Islamic countries expressed support for Trump’s initiative.

Blair recently visited the White House, meeting with Trump to discuss Gaza’s post-war reconstruction. According to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he has “made a number of contacts with various groups regarding Gaza’s rebuilding efforts.”