Over the past year, the name Tony Blair has again emerged in international political discussions – this time in connection with plans to give him a leading role in the management of Gaza after a possible ceasefire.
According to reports from the BBC, Reuters and The Guardian, Blair is considered a key person in a new, temporary international rule called Gaza International Transitional Authority (Gita).
The Financial Times also confirms that he has been supported by Donald Trump and his administration to Get responsibility for strategy, security and diplomacy while Gaza is being rebuilt.
His political past-especially in the Iraq war, he makes a controversial candidate.
Also read: – Trump is approaching peace deal in Gaza
What does the Gaza-Frys plan go on?
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The peace plan is to end the war between Israel and Hamas and establish a temporary governance in Gaza. You can read this at the Times of Israel.
A technocratic committee of Palestinian and international experts will lead the day -to -day operations while the overall body «Board of Peace» Must be led by Tony Blair.
Also read: Trump and Netanyahu Agree on Peace Plan: – Historical Day
New Labor and a new era
The discussion about Gaza has again put the spotlight on Tony Blair. To understand why he is both praised and criticized today, we must look back on his time as prime minister in the UK-from the New Labor reform in the 1990s to the controversial Iraq war.
Blair became the UK’s prime minister in 1997 after a historical victory for Labor.
He had then launched the “New Labor” project, which moved the party away from classical socialism and trade union dominance, and towards a center politics that combined market economy with social justice.
The result was a party that appealed much wider, especially to the middle class. The BBC writes that Blair was honored to make Labor “Selection Bar again,” and was referred to as the man who lifted the UK into a new era of optimism.
In the late 1990s, the country experienced economic growth, lower unemployment and increased investments in health and education. At the same time, Blair emerged as a charismatic and modern leader, who helped strengthen the UK’s international position.
Also read: Eide about Trump’s peace plan for Gaza: – We welcome this development
Cool Britannia and the Cultural Wave
In the late 1990s, the term “Cool Britannia” was used to describe the UK’s new cultural self-confidence under Blair. It pointed to a wave of British music, fashion and art that received international attention.
Bands like Oasis, Blur and Spice Girls became symbols of this era, while London was seen as a global center for creativity and trend culture. Blair and “New Labor” embraced the wave and connected it to the image of a modern and dynamic UK.
Should show the attack on Gaza
The UK in the global arena
Blair received international recognition for its role in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which helped create peace in Northern Ireland after decades of conflict. He was also a central figure in the Kosovo war in 1999, when NATO intervened against Slobodan Milošević’s Serbia.
His clear support to use military power to stop humanitarian disasters became known as the “Blair doctrine” and was seen as an example of the UK’s willingness to act globally.
Also read: The UK is expected to recognize Palestinian state
The Iraq war-a turning point
However, Blair’s political heritage had a dramatic shift when in 2003 he supported the United States and President George W. Bush in the invasion of Iraq. The reason was that Saddam Hussein allegedly had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) – weapons that were never found.
The decision triggered massive protests, both in the UK and internationally. Blair was accused of having exaggerated intelligence information for legitimizing the war.
The Chilcot report and the war criminal charges
In 2016 came the extensive Chilcot report, which stated that Blair had exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein, and that he had not done enough to investigate peaceful alternatives before the invasion.
The 12 volume and 2.6 million words long report were one of the most comprehensive settlements with British foreign policy ever. The report concluded that the consequences for Iraq and the region were disastrous.
The publication triggered strong criticism. At The Guardian, you can read, among other things, that it confirmed that Blair had deliberately led the people behind the light to justify a war that was already determined.
It went so far that the then Labor leader, Jeremy Corbyn had to apologize to the Iraq war on behalf of the party.
Several relatives of British soldiers who had lost their lives in Iraq called him a war criminal and demanded that he be set for the International Criminal Court (ICC).