Trump to run Gaza with … Blair.

I'll believe it will happen when I see it. I certainly think Tony Blair is a strange choice as many muslims see him as a war criminal after his war in Iraq.

Yes undoubtedly the experience Blair gained from the GFA will be reflected in the negotiations.

Although Hamas have not been formally involved, they have been informally involved.

It would have been foolish not to have had discussions with Hamas.

Blair must have had a lot to do with the Ireland issue, presumably he was supervising Mo Mowlam when she negotiated it so I think he's a good choice.
But I don't see Hamas agreeing, no-one from the opposing side has been involved so far.
It's a bit like doing relationship counselling with just one party isn't it? I guess Trump will see it as a success from his point of view & if Hamas & Palestine won't agree he'll see it as not his fault so can he still have a Nobel prize please?

Oreo

He already has American support.

"support to continue" he does not yet have.

The Middle East has been such a mess for so long we all know it’s going to take a miracle to sort it out.

MayBee70

Have people forgotten that it was Blair that brought an end to The Troubles. And helped greatly with Yugoslavia ( I thought at the time that other countries weren’t interested in what was happening there because there was no oil involved). Please don’t let the disaster that was Iraq ( something that I’m sure haunts him) overshadow all of the good things he has done. I think he has been involved in trying to sort out the Israel/Palestine problem for many years. If anyone can overcome their loathing of him and listen to what he says on pretty much any subject he talks complete common sense.

And helped greatly with Yugoslavia

You mean by increasing the bombing? Illegally intervening against UN advice?
Lord Owen on behalf of the EU and Paddy Ashdown were two prominent people who helped to bring about peace there.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Greater detail.

The White House peace plan for Gaza proposes an immediate end to the devastating war between Israel and Hamas that has raged in the coastal territory for nearly two years, while pointedly excluding the Palestinian militant group from any future governing role.

Assuming both sides agree to a detailed list of conditions, the end of fighting will be accompanied by the release of all Israeli hostages, both dead and alive, “within 72 hours” of Israel publicly accepting the deal.

In return for the release of hostages, Israel would release 250 Palestinians currently serving life sentences and 1,700 Palestinians in Gaza detained since the conflict started on 7 October 2023 after Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Palestinians.
The plan does not require a full Israeli withdrawal ahead of the release of the hostages. Rather, Israeli forces would withdraw to an agreed upon line, inside Gaza, to prepare for a hostage release. The plan says that all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended during the release process and battle lines will remain frozen until “conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal”.

Once all hostages are released, amnesty will be granted to members of Hamas – the Islamist military group that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has repeatedly vowed to destroy – who agree to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons.
Those who wish to leave Gaza will be given safe passage to countries who have agreed to receive them.

The 20-point plan envisages Gaza as “a de-radicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours”. In a separate point, it says the territory will be “redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough”.

Vitally, and in defiance of the vision of some of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, Israel will not occupy or annex the territory, which was home to 21 Israeli settlements before their inhabitants were withdrawn in 2005. Nor will anyone be forced to leave Gaza, the plan promises. Those who wish to leave will be allowed to do so freely and permitted to return.

Hamas will not be permitted any role, “directly or indirectly”, in the future governance of the territory.
As to the immediate future, the plan provides for “full aid” to be sent to Gaza, parts of which are suffering from famine and regular deaths from starvation.

“Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party,” the plan says.

The restoration of aid will mean the reopening of the border crossing at the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which has been largely razed by Israel.

With Hamas banished, Gaza’s governance would be passed to a temporary transitional body in the form of a “technocratic and apolitical Palestinian committee”, which would in turn be overseen and supervised by an international “Board of Peace”, headed by Donald Trump. The board would include other heads of state and international officials, including the former British prime minister, Tony Blair.
That body would organize and set the framework for funding the redevelopment of Gaza while the Palestinian Authority, the political entity nominally in charge of Palestinian affairs in the West Bank, had undergone a process of reform.

A panel of experts will be convened to create what the plan calls a “Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize” the territory, which the US president has previously envisioned being transformed into a “riviera” with a string of hi-tech megacities.

Mention of the thorny issue of a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu vehemently opposes, is left until the end of the plan, with “an interfaith dialogue process” to be set up to promote “the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence”.

The aim is to “try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis”.

Even then, a Palestinian state is held out only as a vague possibility. “While Gaza redevelopment advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people,” the plan says.

Guardian 29/9

I haven't forgotten Blair's part in the Good Friday Agreement.

I haven't forgotten the Comfort Letters either, given to paramilitary suspects On The Run, a separate undisclosed agreement, not exposed until 2014 when a trial of one of the suspects in the Hyde Park bombings collapsed on the production of one of these letters.
As for his involvement in the Iraq War, I doubt he gives it, or the people who died as a result of his actions, a thought.
I wouldn't call his actions common sense.

Have people forgotten that it was Blair that brought an end to The Troubles. And helped greatly with Yugoslavia ( I thought at the time that other countries weren’t interested in what was happening there because there was no oil involved). Please don’t let the disaster that was Iraq ( something that I’m sure haunts him) overshadow all of the good things he has done. I think he has been involved in trying to sort out the Israel/Palestine problem for many years. If anyone can overcome their loathing of him and listen to what he says on pretty much any subject he talks complete common sense.

This all boils down to whether Netanyahu and the leaders of Hamas find more benefits in ending the war than carrying on with it.

Whitewavemark2

What I do think going forward though, is that for this to be a lasting successful peace, the Israelis and Palestinians need to be satisfied that those guilty of war crimes are indicted and judged by the international court and dealt with appropriately.

This must be done as a building block to trust and faith in the future.

I think one of Bibi’s conditions will be that he isn’t indicted for anything in order for this plan to go ahead. 🤨

What I do think going forward though, is that for this to be a lasting successful peace, the Israelis and Palestinians need to be satisfied that those guilty of war crimes are indicted and judged by the international court and dealt with appropriately.

This must be done as a building block to trust and faith in the future.

Yes I don’t give a toss who actually achieves this peace as long as they do! - opinion about the players involved counts for nothing.

Now for Ukraine.

Just a word about Hamas. They have certainly been indirectly involved and are aware of the points to the peace plan.

I hope/guess that they must have indicted a measure of acceptance.

Agree WWM there will have been an awful lot of work done behind the scenes with many players, not just Blair who is there to press the flesh and offer advice based upon his experience of ME machinations, of which Trump knows precious little. I actually dislike Blair but probably dislike most heavy hitters taking part in this, so am only interested in what they can achieve.
Trump will have little to do with this above beyond having pics taken with Bibi which is all to the good seeing as the man’s only plan so far has been to build another Vegas in Gaza.

You can. I personally abhor the negativity of Gransnet at times like this though. I am just praying they can find a way forward, and withholding my bile to expend on issues that are much less important to the future for all of us.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

The 20 point.plan is a remarkable attempt at showing a way forward. Trump has got to grips with enormous complexity, so different from his Gaza Strip plan of a year ago. It will likely fail, for now, but all credit to him, diplomats and advisers for trying.

No that is terribly naive if you think this was trumps doing😄😄

This has been developed over months if not years - largely by Middle Eastern powers with Blair acting as go-between.

The past few months have been devoted to convincing and explaining to Trump and tweaking the final version to accommodate Israel etc.

Casdon

Trump is really trying to find a way forward though, and if this doesn’t happen we will see Gaza completely wiped off the map. I’m one of life’s cynics, but I think we have to let them do the best they can, find the people who can deliver, and put all our personal thoughts aside. It is so important.

I can express whatever personal thoughts I wish, within reason.

Whatever I think will make not one iota of difference.

merlotgran

Anniebach

Blair was Middle East envoy from 2007 - 2015

Did he actually achieve anything?

Blair has been active in the Middle East more or less since he left office as PM.

There can be very few with more knowledge of the area and has been more active.

This has been in the pipeline for months.

All power to them all if it stops the dreadful suffering.

The 20 point.plan is a remarkable attempt at showing a way forward. Trump has got to grips with enormous complexity, so different from his Gaza Strip plan of a year ago. It will likely fail, for now, but all credit to him, diplomats and advisers for trying.

I think Blair is behind a lot of things I dont like about how this Country has gone, or may go[no, I am not going to say more, except that when I have unravelled a few things, it goes back to Blair and the laws that he helped/managed/orchestrated or whatever, that got changed when he was in power].

Then there is ID cards that his son is involved with.

Then there is something about private health insurance which has not paid off for him financially as yet, as I understand things.

So no.
Having Blair involved in more things is a most definite no from me.

If he helps pull off peace? Then good.

With Trump chairing the Board, how long will the other members survive in place? He has form in getting rid of people who disagree with him. I hope it doesn't become the Trump show - millionaire golf courses everywhere with caviar or Mac 'n cheese the plats du jour in the gold-walled diningrooms, and a workforce with no social Security or medical care.

Trump is really trying to find a way forward though, and if this doesn’t happen we will see Gaza completely wiped off the map. I’m one of life’s cynics, but I think we have to let them do the best they can, find the people who can deliver, and put all our personal thoughts aside. It is so important.

The truth is, I think people let their political prejudice override common sense sometimes.
It's not my political prejudice which makes me cynical about Blair.

As for Trump, what can I say?