Tony Blair Tapped to Lead Gaza Interim Government During Critical Transition Phase

3 hours ago 1

September 28, 2025 | 03:11 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has reportedly been designated to lead the provisional administration in Gaza. The New Arab published that Blair is tasked with overseeing the territory's post-conflict reconstruction. He is proposed to spearhead the oversight council, tentatively named the International Transitional Authority for Gaza.

This interim government is slated to govern Gaza for a period of several years until its eventual handover to the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to The Times of Israel. Crucially, the current plan deliberately omits any mention of relocating Palestinian residents, a sensitive political measure widely considered a red line by numerous negotiating parties.

Details of the Plan and Tony Blair's Involvement

Tony Blair's rumored appointment results from consultations with US President Donald Trump’s administration and various international stakeholders regarding a post-war transitional body for the Palestinian territories. The strategy potentially involves Blair presiding over the authority, bolstered by support from the United Nations (UN) and several influential Gulf countries.

Multiple media outlets, including the Financial Times, reported that Tony Blair, who previously served as the official Middle East peace envoy from 2007 to 2015, has actively petitioned to become a council member. However, there has been no formal confirmation from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, his non-profit organization.

Recent Israeli media reports concerning his participation in the US-led peace plan prompted sources close to Blair to affirm that he has indeed devised a blueprint, alongside other parties, aimed at halting the current conflict.

They confirmed that there is no agreement to permanently relocate Gaza residents. Furthermore, any transitional governance body established for the territory will ultimately be obliged to hand back power to the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah in the West Bank.

In its reporting, The Economist, citing The New Arab, stated that the proposed body, known as the "Gaza International Transitional Authority," will aim to secure a UN mandate to become the "supreme political and legal authority" for an initial five-year term. Following this period, the institution would formally transfer control back to Palestine.

The authority will have a secretariat of up to 25 people and a council of seven. Initially, it will be based in Egypt, near the southern Gaza border, before moving into Gaza once the situation is secure, the BBC reported.

Reactions and Context

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen voiced his support, telling BBC Radio on Friday that he found the idea appealing. Referring to Blair as a "wonderful person," Cohen said, "If he is willing to take this responsibility, which is huge, I think...there is a hope for Gaza."

Blair's involvement will undoubtedly draw attention due to his prominent role in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. A formal British inquiry into the conflict found that he had acted on flawed intelligence when deciding to join the war.

In August, Tony Blair was reported to have joined a meeting at the White House with President Trump to discuss post-war Gaza plans. Trump has put forward a plan to make Gaza the "Riviera of the Middle East," a proposal which controversially involved the enforced relocation of Palestinian residents from the area.

After stepping down as Prime Minister in 2007, Blair's first major international role was as the special envoy of the international community for the Middle East, where his focus was on developing the Palestinian economy and institutions in preparation for a Palestinian state.

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