Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a sweeping 20-point plan they say could end the war in Gaza after two years of devastation. The centrepiece is a ceasefire and reconstruction programme — but it comes with a surprise twist. The so-called “Board of Peace” that would oversee Gaza’s future is chaired by Trump himself and joined by none other than former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. 

Blair’s appointment has provoked outrage in some quarters and eye-rolling in others. To Palestinians, his name is synonymous with the Iraq invasion and years of failed diplomacy. Hamas has rejected his involvement outright, calling it “foreign guardianship.” Even within his own Labour Party, many regard him as politically radioactive. Yet Blair’s allies insist he has a rare ability to speak to Washington, Jerusalem, and the Gulf capitals, and point to his role in Northern Ireland’s peace process as proof of his credentials. 

So is Blair really the man to bring peace to Gaza — or is this just another distraction in a region scarred by war and distrust? And what does the Trump-Netanyahu plan actually mean for the people of Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced? 

Joining the podcast from Beirut is award-winning journalist and author Rania Abouzeid, whose reporting has traced the fault lines of the Middle East from Iraq to Syria to Gaza. Ciara Doherty also listens-back to comments made by Donald Trump, Tony Blair himself, and Blair’s long-time adviser Alastair Campbell.  

🌍 Visit Rania Abouzeid’s website: https://www.raniaabouzeid.com