Tony Blair’s Controversial Role in Trump Administration’s Gaza Reconstruction Plan Under Scrutiny

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who served as a Middle East envoy for eight years and was involved in the Iraq War, attended a White House summit on the future of Gaza this week. The meeting’s focus is reported to be on the Trump administration’s comprehensive plan for Gaza following the war’s end.

Blair’s attendance at the gathering raised eyebrows due to his limited official activities in the Middle East over the past decade, which have primarily consisted of private business ventures and occasional media appearances. However, he served as the Middle East Envoy for the Quartet – a group of world powers seeking a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians – from 2007 to 2015. During his tenure, the Quartet was often criticized for its ineffectiveness.

Blair’s relationship with the Palestinian Authority (PA) soured quickly after his appointment as the envoy, due to perceptions of his pro-Israel bias. His attendance at the Gaza summit may further strain relations between him and Palestinians.

Shibley Telhami, a professor at the University of Maryland and non-resident senior fellow at Brookings, commented that while Blair’s presence could help Trump garner attention from wealthy donors, it would negatively impact public opinion in the Middle East and internationally due to Blair’s association with the Iraq War and his financial and political ties to Middle Eastern leaders.

Trump has proposed a US takeover of Gaza, which includes removal of residents and redevelopment of the area into a “Middle Eastern Riviera.” This plan has been widely condemned, with the PA calling it a violation of international law.

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, is also involved in discussions regarding Gaza, but like Blair, holds no official role. Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs and a key figure in negotiating the 2020 Abraham Accords, was also present at the meeting.

Telhami noted that while Dermer has been coordinating with Blair and the Trump team on Gaza, no Arab representation was present at the meeting despite the potential impact on Arab states. The “Riviera” proposal, initially made by Trump during a visit with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remains controversial.

The Tony Blair Institute For Global Change (TBI) has been involved in discussions about the proposed Gaza reconstruction plan, but denies any involvement in its creation or endorsement. However, a senior partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), who acted against company rules and directives, did assemble a team to model and analyze post-war reconstruction scenarios for Gaza, which interacted with TBI during the work.

The White House has not released details of the meeting’s contents, but people in Gaza can only hope that Blair advocated for their interests during the discussions.