Tony Blair reportedly dropped from Trump's Gaza board of peace' shortlist

"According to the Financial Times (FT), Blair has been quietly dropped from consideration for Trump's board of peace, which Trump has said he would chair himself. It had previously been reported widely that Blair had been canvassing behind the scenes for a prominent role in Gaza's interim administration, amid leaks of a plan drawn up in part by his Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) with Trump's son-in-law and informal envoy Jared Kushner."

"While Blair's backers had pointed to his role in ending decades of violence in Northern Ireland, critics had pointed his lacklustre record of achievements while serving as the representative of the so-called Quartet the UN, EU, US and Russia to help mediate Middle East peace. In the wider Arab world Blair was also viewed with scepticism and hostility over his role in the disastrous US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003."

"The plan, in which the TBI had input, had been criticised for its lack of a clear timeline to Palestinian statehood, and suggesting Gaza be run under a separate legal framework to the West Bank leading to fears that Palestine's two non-contiguous elements risked no longer be envisaged as a single polity. Acknowledging that Blair remained a controversial figure, Trump conceded in October: I've always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he's an acceptable choice to everybody."

Tony Blair will not occupy a key position on Donald Trump's Gaza peace council after Arab and Muslim nations objected to his involvement. Blair was dropped from consideration for the board which Trump said he would chair. Blair canvassed for a role in Gaza's interim administration amid leaks of a plan drawn up with Jared Kushner. Supporters cited his role ending violence in Northern Ireland. Critics pointed to a lacklustre Quartet record and Arab scepticism tied to his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion. The plan drew criticism for lacking a timeline to Palestinian statehood and for proposing a separate legal framework for Gaza.

Read at www.theguardian.com