NEW YORK (Realist English). Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is being considered for a senior role in overseeing postwar Gaza under a peace framework advanced by US President Donald Trump, according to multiple people familiar with the discussions.
Trump outlined his latest ceasefire and governance proposals during meetings with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week. The plan calls for a Palestinian committee to administer Gaza under the oversight of an international supervisory board and backed by a multinational stabilisation force.
Two people briefed on the matter said Blair is interested in joining — or even chairing — the supervisory body, which has been described as a “Gaza International Transitional Authority.” Blair’s office declined to comment. The former premier, who served as Middle East envoy after leaving office, has privately promoted the idea of an international trusteeship for Gaza in recent months and attended a White House meeting on the issue alongside Trump’s adviser Jared Kushner.
Arab and European governments have voiced skepticism of such an arrangement, warning it risks sidelining Palestinians. They argue governance should rest with a technocratic committee endorsed by the Palestinian Authority, which already administers parts of the West Bank. Trump’s plan incorporates elements of both visions, pledging that no Gazans would be displaced and that Hamas would be excluded from any governing role.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia expressed cautious optimism after talks with Trump in New York. The proposals envision a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza once an international force is deployed, coupled with the release of all remaining hostages.
A decisive moment will come Monday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Trump in Washington. Netanyahu, who recently renewed an offensive on Gaza City, has consistently rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority and insists on Hamas’s destruction. Palestinian officials say more than 65,000 people have been killed in the conflict since October 2023.
Trump told reporters he was “getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza” and stressed he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. The White House has not commented on Blair’s potential involvement.
