Trump taps Iraq war-tainted Tony Blair for Gaza interim authority

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is set to be part of an interim authority in the Gaza Strip, according to US President Donald Trump's peace plan.

Blair released a statement after the announcement late Monday, calling the proposal “a bold and intelligent plan.”

"President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, while ensuring Israel’s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages,” he said.

"It offers us the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering, and I thank President Trump for his leadership, determination and commitment.

In particular, his willingness to chair the Board of Peace to oversee the new Gaza is a huge signal of support and confidence in the future of Gaza, of the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians finding a path to peace, and of the potential for a broader regional and global alliance to counter the forces of extremism and promote peace and prosperity between nations," he said.

The White House released a comprehensive 20-point plan Monday aimed at ending the Gaza war and establishing long-term peace, as Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The proposal envisions transforming Gaza into "a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors" while ensuring the enclave "will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough."

- 'He shouldn’t be anywhere near the Middle East, let alone Gaza'

The US president praised the former British prime minister, describing him as a “good man.” Trump said: "Leaders that are very distinguished" would be on the board, adding: "And one of the people that wants to be on the board is the UK former prime minister Tony Blair."

Blair, who was prime minister during the 2003 US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, based on false claims about weapons of mass destruction, is regarded by many in the Arab world and in the UK as a “war criminal.”

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote on the US social media company, X: "Tony Blair’s catastrophic decision to invade Iraq cost thousands upon thousands of lives. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the Middle East, let alone Gaza. It is not up to Blair, Trump or Netanyahu to decide the future of Gaza. That is up to the people of Palestine."

The Israeli army has killed nearly 66,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.