Zürcher Nachrichten - Former UK PM Blair could lead transitional authority in Gaza: reports

It follows Blair's involvement in discussions with the administration of US President Donald Trump and others over the post-war transitional body for the Palestinian territory.

The plan could involve Blair leading the authority with the support of the UN and Gulf nations, according to the BBC and The Economist magazine.

The Financial Times reported that the former UK leader, who worked as a Middle East peace mediator formally from 2007 to 2015, had asked to be on its supervisory board.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a non-profit organisation, declined to comment to AFP on the stories.

Israeli media reports last week about his involvement in the US-led peace plan prompted sources close to Blair to confirm that he has been working on a scheme to halt the conflict alongside other parties.

However, they noted he would not support any proposal to permanently displace Gazans, and that any transitional governing body for the territory would ultimately hand power back to the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah in the West Bank.

In its report, The Economist said that a body to be known as the "Gaza International Transitional Authority" would seek a UN mandate to be the "supreme political and legal authority" for five years, before handing control to Palestinians.

The authority would have a secretariat of up to 25 people and a seven-person board, it added.

It would initially be based in Egypt, near Gaza's southern border, before transferring to Gaza once it is secure, the BBC said.

Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen told BBC Radio on Friday that "I love" the idea, calling Blair a "wonderful person".

"If he is willing to take this responsibility, which is huge, I think... there is a hope" for Gaza, he added.

"I think that he can bear that burden strongly."

Blair's involvement would inevitably raise eyebrows given his involvement in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

An official UK inquiry into the conflict found he had acted on flawed intelligence when deciding to join the war.

Blair reportedly joined a White House meeting with Trump in August to discuss plans for post-war Gaza.

Trump has floated plans to make Gaza the "Riviera of the Middle East", involving the forced displacement of Palestinians in the territory.

G.Kuhn--NZN