Report: Ex-UK PM Blair eyed as mediator on post-war Gaza, including resettlement of Palestinians

Former British prime minister Tony Blair speaks during an interview in central London on March 17, 2023. (Daniel Leal/AFP)
Former British prime minister Tony Blair speaks during an interview in central London on March 17, 2023. (Daniel Leal/AFP)

Former British prime minister Tony Blair is reportedly being eyed by Israeli leaders to serve as the mediator between Jerusalem and moderate Arab countries on post-war Gaza and a controversial Israeli aim of having other nations absorb residents of Gaza who leave the Strip.

Blair arrived in Israel last week and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, Channel 12 news reports, without citing a source. The report says that if the plan materializes, Blair will be in charge of checking the option of countries receiving Gazan refugees.

The reported development comes as the government is yet to discuss the fate of Gaza after the ongoing war, as planned discussions have been delayed by Netanyahu, for fear of sparking a coalition crisis.

Far-right coalition parties are pushing for resettling parts of the Strip and encouraging Palestinians to leave the enclave, and are flatly ruling out any post-war plan that includes a governing role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza. This puts the government at odds with demands from the United States and other international allies.

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