Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is reportedly being considered to lead a proposed transitional administration in Gaza, known as the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA), should a ceasefire be reached.
The plan, backed by the US, involves establishing a UN-backed interim authority supported by Gulf states before handing the territory over to Palestinian leadership.
Tony Blair’s name has been floated as a potential head of the GITA, which would oversee Gaza’s administration for up to five years.
The GITA would have a secretariat of up to 25 international advisers and a seven-member board to direct an executive body responsible for humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and security.
The plan aims to provide international oversight of Gaza’s post-war reconstruction and political stabilization, with a focus on economic development and security cooperation.
The GITA is reportedly modeled after international administrations in Kosovo and East Timor during their transitions to statehood.
Many Palestinians view Blair’s potential role as illegitimate due to his past involvement in the 2003 Iraq War and his tenure as Middle East envoy, which they believe prioritized Israeli security concerns over Palestinian sovereignty.
Arab leaders have emphasized that they will only support a peacekeeping deployment if it’s linked to a credible political horizon leading directly to Palestinian statehood.
Israeli officials see Blair as someone they can work with, given his understanding of security concerns and terrorism.
The plan’s success hinges on addressing concerns about Palestinian representation, statehood prospects, and the duration of the transitional authority’s mandate.
French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly working to reconcile different proposals, including the US-backed plan and a UN-endorsed technocratic administration.
