When President Donald Trump announced his 20-point plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza, Blair was the only person named to the board.
Published December 9, 2025
According to a report in the Financial Times (FT), Tony Blair has been removed from the US-led Gaza Strip peace commission proposal due to opposition from Arab and Islamic governments.
When President Donald Trump unveiled his 20-point plan to end Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza in September, Mr Blair was the only person named to the board, with the US president describing the former British prime minister as a “very good man”.
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Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the plan as “bold and smart” and signaled he would join the board, which will be chaired by Trump himself.
But diplomats from several Arab and Muslim countries opposed Blair’s involvement, the FT reported on Monday.
As British Prime Minister, Blair strongly supported the US-led so-called “war on terror” and sent tens of thousands of British troops to take part in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which was launched based on false claims that then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had developed weapons of mass destruction.
In the Middle East, Prime Minister Blair continues to be widely seen as partly responsible for the devastation of the war.
Since leaving office in 2007, he has set up the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), which works with governments accused of repression to improve their image.
His institute was also involved in a project led by Israeli businessmen, who worked with them to develop a “next day” plan for Gaza.
The project included a proposal for a coastal resort called “Trump Riviera” and a manufacturing hub named after Elon Musk, but critics of the idea said it ignored human rights and threatened to displace Palestinians.
There was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Tony Blair’s office. An alliance source quoted by the FT denied claims that he was forced out of Trump’s planned “peace commission” due to opposition from local governments, insisting talks were ongoing.
Another source said there was still a possibility that Mr Blair could return in a “different capacity”, noting that he had the support of both the US government and Tel Aviv.
President Trump’s Gaza plan leaves the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in jeopardy, and Israeli forces continue to carry out attacks throughout the besieged region. According to Gazan authorities, at least 377 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect in October. More than 70,000 people have died since Israel began its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza in October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities.
