Trump Appoints Key Figures to Oversee Gaza Reconstruction
In a recent move, U.S. President Donald Trump assigned significant roles in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, with plans to have a U.S. military officer lead a newly-formed security force.
Trump has put together a board to manage the American-controlled Gaza, as he pushes forward a contentious plan aimed at revitalizing the devastated area, which has been struck repeatedly by Israeli airstrikes over the past two years.
This decision followed a meeting in Cairo of a Palestinian technocratic committee focused on Gaza governance, attended by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is heavily involved in Middle East affairs.
Trump has declared himself the chairman of the Peace Commission, which will feature members like Blair, Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other prominent American figures such as Steve Witkoff, a business associate of Trump.
Blair’s involvement is somewhat controversial due to his past connection with the Iraq invasion in 2003. Trump mentioned last year that he wanted to ensure Blair was an “acceptable choice” for all parties involved.
After leaving office in 2007, Blair focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as part of the “Middle East Quartet,” which includes the UN, EU, U.S., and Russia.
The White House has indicated that the peace commission will tackle matters like governance, regional relations, recovery efforts, and attracting investments.
Interestingly, Trump previously suggested transforming Gaza into a resort akin to a Riviera, though he later distanced himself from the idea of forcibly relocating residents.
Among board members are World Bank President Ajay Banga and American billionaire Mark Rowan, along with Robert Gabriel, a loyal aide to Trump who works on the National Security Council.
On the same day, the Israeli military reported new strikes in Gaza, citing violations of a ceasefire from October. The violence has escalated following Hamas’ attack on Israel last month.
Trump nominated U.S. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers to lead the International Stability Force, responsible for maintaining order in Gaza and forming a new police unit to replace Hamas.
Jeffers has a background in overseeing ceasefires and is expected to look for international contributions to the force, with Indonesia already expressing interest. However, officials believe deploying troops will be challenging unless Hamas fully disarms.
Ali Shas, a former official with the Palestinian Authority, has been selected to lead the Governing Committee, which also includes Nikolai Mladenov, a Bulgarian diplomat aimed at mediating between the committee and Trump’s peace initiative.
The committee will reconvene soon, with hopes to establish a presence in Gaza shortly after. Additionally, Trump set up an executive committee that seems to serve more of an advisory function, featuring Blair, Witkoff, Mladenov, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, despite Israel’s opposition to Turkey’s role due to its critical stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Executives from mediating nations like Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, will also be included. Interestingly, Trump has nominated Sigrid Kaag, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, to join the board, despite his administration’s attempts to downplay the UN’s involvement.
