Sir Tony Blair has said he is “honoured” to be part of Donald Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace”, tasked with overseeing the rebuilding of the territory and the transition to a new administration.
The board, selected by Donald Trump, who is also chair of the board, includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and the former UK Prime Minister, among others.
Blair said in a statement: “I thank President Trump for his leadership in establishing the Board of Peace and am honoured to be appointed to its executive board.
“It’s been a real privilege to work with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and their outstanding team.
“I look forward to working with them and other colleagues in line with the president’s vision to promote peace and prosperity.”
He said the president’s 20-point plan for Gaza was an “extraordinary achievement” and that implementing it will take “enormous commitment and hard work”.
Blair’s inclusion on the list of board members may be controversial, as he remains a divisive figure in the Middle East due to his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He later became a representative of the Quartet, a group seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians made up of the U.S., E.U., Russia and the United Nations, but stepped down after being deemed too close to Israel.
“I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody,” Trump told reporters last October.
The former Labor leader, Rubio and Kushner are joined on the board by World Bank president Ajay Banga, Marc Rowan, Robert Gabriel, and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
Those selected are described as “leaders with experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy.”
“Each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization,” the White House said.
Additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.
Friday’s announcement follows the creation of the 15-member Palestinian committee tasked with running daily affairs in Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli bombardments, overseen by Ali Sha’ath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority.
“Dr Sha’ath brings deep experience in public administration, economic development, and international engagement, and is widely respected for his pragmatic, technocratic leadership and understanding of Gaza’s institutional realities,” the White House statement added.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on October 10, bringing to an end two years of fighting between the two sides. It also brought about the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel.
The ceasefire has largely held, though both sides accuse each other of ongoing violations. Israeli fire has killed more than 400 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Israel says it has targeted militants or responded to violations of the ceasefire, but the Palestinians say scores of civilians have been shot.
Palestinian militants, meanwhile, continue to hold the remains of the last hostage — an Israeli police officer killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear he is in no rush to move forward until the remains are returned.
