Blair Snubbed by Hamas, Frozen Out of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan

Blair Snubbed by Hamas, Frozen Out of Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been publicly humiliated after Hamas rejected any role for him in Donald Trump’s post-war Gaza reconstruction plan. Blair, once touted as a potential senior figure in an international body to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding, was dismissed outright by Hamas officials who cited his legacy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dr Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, told Sky News that Blair “would not be welcome,” adding that “Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims have bad memories of him” for his role in the U.S.-led wars that caused “thousands or millions of deaths.” He accused the ex-PM of helping “destroy Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Blair, who led the UK into the 2003 Iraq invasion on the now-discredited claim that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, has since faced enduring backlash. The 2016 Chilcot Report concluded that the war was launched on “flawed intelligence.”

Trump’s Gaza peace deal reportedly stipulates that Hamas must disarm and play no role in any future government, though it offers amnesty to those who renounce the group. However, Naim rejected that demand, saying Hamas “will not be disarmed” without guarantees of a sovereign Palestinian state capable of self-defense.

Another senior Hamas figure, Osama Hamdan, told Al Araby TV that “all factions, including the Palestinian Authority, reject” Blair’s participation. In London, Foreign Affairs Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry said she was “completely relaxed” about who leads the peace board, adding: “If he has the trust of all parties, fine — if not, I don’t mind.”

Key Takeaways:

• Hamas has rejected Tony Blair’s involvement in Trump’s Gaza reconstruction plan.

• Officials cited Blair’s role in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as disqualifying.

• Trump’s peace deal excludes Hamas from governance but offers amnesty to defectors.