https://arab.news/9akb4
- Body would administer territory for several years
LONDON: US President Donald Trump has endorsed former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s proposal for a postwar plan in Gaza, giving him two weeks to rally international support for the initiative, .
The plan, drafted by the Tony Blair Institute, calls for the creation of a temporary governing body known as the Gaza International Transitional Authority.
The body, to be established under the auspices of the UN, would administer the territory for several years before transferring authority to a reformed Palestinian Authority.
According to The Times of Israel, the draft proposal describes the GITA as the “supreme political and legal authority for Gaza during the transitional period.” It would include at least one Palestinian representative, senior UN officials, prominent international business figures, and “strong representation of Muslim members.”
The blueprint rules out the forced displacement of Palestinians, instead proposing a Property Rights Preservation Unit to guarantee the rights of Palestinians in Gaza who voluntarily leave the territory, including a right of return.
It also calls for the disarmament of Hamas and the formation of an international force to assist Gaza’s civil police in preventing the group’s resurgence.
Blair has been working on what he terms the “day after” plan since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023, meeting senior Trump officials and regional leaders to build support.
Trump formally endorsed the proposal during an Aug. 27 meeting at the White House, where his son-in-law Jared Kushner has played a leading role in shaping postwar options.
While Israel has rejected the Palestinian Authority taking on a direct role in Gaza, reports suggest it has engaged “constructively” with Blair’s proposal. However, renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza City and recent strikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar have raised questions over the viability of the plan.
Blair’s institute has declined to comment publicly on the proposal.