FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Tony Blair is seeking a different kind of posthumous fame...
What is Tony Blair looking for in the ruins of Gaza? With a prime minister so damaged by the invasion of Iraq, his subsequent failure as Quartet envoy to advance Palestinian interests, and his post-prime minister Institute's close ties to authoritarian regimes, is he really the right man to take a central role in rebuilding the devastated region?
The latest Middle East peace plan, under the auspices of Donald Trump, includes the creation of a "Peace Commission", chaired by him. This commission will take over, for a transitional phase of indefinite duration, the supervision of the governance of Gaza, which will be "run" on a day-to-day basis by a group of Palestinian technocrats. Among the members of the commission, the name of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was also mentioned.
According to previous reports, the White House was moving toward appointing Blair as head of the Gaza transitional government. Trump praised Blair but did not provide details about the role he would play if the new plan were implemented.
Blair, who has been working on ideas and seeking a role in rebuilding Gaza since the final year of Biden's presidency, warmly welcomed Trump's new initiative. The former British prime minister spoke of "a bold and intelligent plan" that "offers the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and pain." He did not fail to thank the US president "for his leadership, determination and commitment."
In recent weeks, there has been much talk about Blair's possible involvement in Gaza. Together with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, he had formulated a proposal for the creation of the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA) with a mandate from the United Nations Security Council for a period of five years. The idea was to put him at the head of a seven-member executive committee that would take over the administration of Gaza. The funding would come from the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, with which Blair, through his Institute for Global Growth, has developed close relations since the end of his term as prime minister.
The Blair-Kushner plan was presented to Trump in the Oval Office on August 27. The meeting was attended by Blair, Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and by telephone by Netanyahu's confidential adviser, Ron Dermer. On September 23, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trump presented a version of it to the leaders of Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, and five Arab countries, telling them that "maybe we can end it (the war in Gaza) right away."
“Tony Blair is seeking a different kind of posthumous fame ,” explains Robin Niblett, a distinguished fellow and until recently director of Chatham House in London.
"At the same time, during his term as prime minister, he has the contacts, especially in the Gulf, and the management to undertake the difficult task of transition. So, he has the personal ambition, the infrastructure and the operational capacity to undertake the task, and can attract the necessary funds," he added,
Niblett speculates that Blair could act as the Executive Director of the oversight committee, with Trump in the role of non-executive chairman and Kushner in a more discreet, behind-the-scenes role.
-Know the area
But will he be accepted by both sides as an honest broker? During his days as Quartet envoy, after all, there were successive operations by the Israeli armed forces in Gaza, settlements in the West Bank continued to expand, and progress towards the creation of a Palestinian state was minimal to zero.
"The Palestinians will accept anyone who supports their right to establish an independent state," McShane argues. He even recalls Blair making it clear that there would be no involvement in Gaza if the plan for the next day included the displacement of the Palestinian population.
-Ambition and connections.
It combines personal ambition, has the infrastructure and operational capacity to undertake the project, and can attract the necessary financing.
-His financiers
For the Israelis, the decisive factor is Trump's position, and they find his intention to assume the title of chairman of the "Peace Commission" encouraging. As for Blair, they have every reason to think that he will show more than enough understanding for their positions.
Investigative journalist Carol Cadwallader, in a recent report for the newly formed newspaper The Nerve, highlighted Blair and his institute’s close ties to businessmen with strong ties to the Israeli government, most notably Oracle’s Larry Ellison. Ellison, 81, the world’s second-richest person, is a mentor to Elon Musk, an early supporter of Netanyahu and one of the first Silicon Valley tycoons to reach out to Trump. Oracle has been a key technology partner for the Israeli military, through its joint ventures with Israeli defense technology company Rafael.
According to Cadwallader, Ellison's company has funded the Tony Blair Institute for Global Growth with about half a billion dollars (some of which has been pledged but not yet disbursed). The company is listed in the institute's reports as its "strategic partner."
Other funders of the institute, according to The Nerve report, include the Kirsh Foundation of South African businessman Natty Kirsh, whose company, Magal Solutions, built the West Bank wall and the fence separating Gaza from Israel, as well as the Len Blavatnik Foundation, which has interests in Israel's defense industry and media.
-Party involvement
In his party, which led it to three consecutive election victories and which has been rocked by intense internal friction in recent years over issues related to the Middle East, Blair's potential involvement has caused mixed feelings.
Starmer himself came out in favor of Trump's plan, stating that "we strongly support his efforts to end hostilities, release hostages and ensure the provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."
-Once upon a time in Belfast
He managed, in Northern Ireland, to resolve a dispute that had lasted 200 years, between two camps that hated each other. However, at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, which ended last Wednesday, there were voices expressing doubts about Blair's return to the forefront in such a sensitive post.
Officials from Arab and European states, at the same time, expressed concern that the former British prime minister's proposals were too close to Israel's positions and left the Palestinians by the wayside.
However, for Aaron David Miller, a former State Department official and one of the most experienced Middle East analysts in the United States, Blair's participation in the Gaza transitional government is of little importance. " The key lies in the willingness of the three main actors, Trump, Netanyahu and Hamas, to make decisions that they have not been willing or able to make until now," he concluded./ Adapted from "Pamphlet" by "Kathimerini"
Zero! Toni është njeri i mirë. Ai pranoi një "mision të pamundur". Vetëm dikush nga Turqia mund të ketë sukses! Palestinezët (harrojeni Hamasin) janë shumë besnikë ndaj turqve!
Starmer kryeministri Anglez ka mbështetur "planin e paqes të Z.Tramp". Z. Bler Drejtor Ekzekutiv në menazhimin Palestinës, do jetë aq i sukseshëm sa ç'ishtë ajo shqiptare e Princ Vidit në 1914. Nëse Drejtori Ekzekutiv do jetë një anglez këtë duhet ta dakortësojë, Mbreti dhe Kryeministri Anglez. Nëse caktohet për ti dhënë peshë politike si negociatot për paqe dhe rindërtim, të gjithëve në lindjen e mesme, po ju përmëndni litarin në shtëpinë e të varururit. Rrënimi i Partinë Laburiste është një efekt anësor në promovimin e Z.Bler. Djali i Z.Tramp mund të jetë shumë më i përshtatshëm se dhëndërri i tij.