Tony Blair Dropped From Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ After Arab-State Objections

Tony Blair has been dropped from consideration for a senior role on US President Donald Trump’s proposed “board of peace” for Gaza, following objections from several Arab and Muslim states over his involvement in the 2003 Iraq invasion, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

Blair had been the only publicly named candidate for Trump’s new Gaza governance framework. The plan envisions a “board of peace” to oversee a transitional technocratic committee that would administer and rebuild the Gaza Strip until the Palestinian Authority can assume control.

Trump had previously praised Blair as a “very good man,” and the former British prime minister voiced strong support for the initiative, calling it “bold and intelligent.” Blair had also indicated his willingness to serve on the body when the proposal was unveiled in late September.

According to the report, several leaders in the region objected strongly to Blair’s potential appointment, citing long-standing resentment over his support for the US-led war in Iraq in 2003. His backing of the invasion has left a deep stigma across Arab countries in the Middle East, and officials feared his presence could undermine Palestinian legitimacy in the proposed governance structure.

Regional figures also raised concerns about the plan’s potential to sideline Palestinian representation during the transitional period. Trump’s 20-point proposal places Gaza’s administration in the hands of an “apolitical, technocratic” committee under international oversight, a model that some officials argued requires heightened sensitivity to local acceptance.

A source close to the former prime minister denied that regional objections were the reason for his removal. The source told the Financial Times that Blair simply did not meet the criteria, explaining that the “board of peace” is expected to be made up of serving heads of state rather than former leaders.

Trump acknowledged this challenge in October, saying, “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody. I want to find out that Tony would be popular with all because I just don’t know that.”

Blair has been independently developing Gaza-related proposals through his Tony Blair Institute and has coordinated with figures close to Trump, including Jared Kushner, to explore postwar scenarios. According to sources cited in the report, Blair is still expected to play a role “in a different capacity.”

No additional members of the “board of peace” have been named since the plan was announced in September, and the wider structure and membership of the postwar governance framework remain unknown.