Sir Tony Blair's loves a challenge.....

Well Gary Lineker or Dawn French are obvious candidates, maybe a little partisan though. I guess it will just have to be a collection of world leaders with representation from the middle east, hamas and the wider islamic world.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has backed Sir Tony Blair’s role in an interim authority in Gaza under Donald Trump’s peace plan.

He told Times Radio: “Now I know there will be people who will raise eyebrows about Tony Blair in particular, and will think critically about that because of his role in the Iraq War.

“All I would say is that someone who also marched against the Iraq War, and opposed the Iraq War as I did, I also remember his legacy in Northern Ireland, and if he can bring that considerable skill set to bear of being able to broker peace between enemies, sworn enemies, then so much the better.”

Well the Middle Eastern countries don't appear to have come up with other alternatives. The latest peace deal is backed by them, the US and Israel but Hamas might prefer to continue the conflict despite whats best for its people. Tony Blair was involved in the Good Friday agreement and for its faults has worked reasonably wewell.He has experience that many others don't.

No, but I don't suppose a bunch of parents predominantly based in the UK are necessarily going to have the relevant networks.

Has anyone got any actual suggestions of this 'independent' person who could take this on? Like actual names?

Are you suggesting that the only choice was to appoint a Westerner or an Islamic terrorist organisation?

And a Westerner who is considered by many to be a war criminal at that?

I’m a Zionist and I’m against it.

TB comes with too much baggage.

Well they don't seem to be able to pick anyone else and Hamas are still there and need to go. Who.needs another Islamic terrorist organisation running things.

In case you missed it.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/tony-blair-relationship-middle-east-leaving-office

Totally agree with @SharonEllis
Ash Sarkar is a Jew-hating, Corbyn-loving, antisemitic, Hamas excusing, usefully idiotic, infantile poo-poo pants.

Ash Sarkar is infantile so that doesn't surprise me.

We get to repeat the words of Ask Sarkar “was Satan not available?”

Well, exactly! On the basis that Israel will have proposed or sanctioned Blair, and he has special knowledge, it would be appropriate for him to act as Israel's representative or go between perhaps.

We have two distinct sides here, the only possibility of stopping attacks from both sides in the future is for the people of both sides to be completely on board - that will happen if one of Palestine's backers together with a representative of Palestine negotiate for Palestinian interests. That is the way effective negotiation works. It would need to be a proper negotiation, working out what would be fair, reasonable, lasting, workable, facilitated and supported by other world leaders.

If Blair is to be titular at the helm only, then perhaps a joint appointment of such with one of Palestine's backers might be more diplomatic.

I think your view that this is all to do with getting a genuine two state solution is somewhat naive, but let's hope. I think you are underestimating just how appalling most people think the wmd disaster was, and Blair was not only in the centre of it, but has come out with polarised statements on world affairs since. So a curious choice.

Who the hell is independent?

But he is not independent and he is not a leader of a ME state. It should be leaders of ME states who have supported Palestine who should be negotiating on behalf of Palestine. Can you point to some quotes which show that he is known, liked and respected etc, by the way?

I am sure he is a nice person, but he is not independent, and is therefore the wrong person for the job. If it is going to be a two state solution as you say upthread, then it would be appropriate for Blair to negotiation on behalf of Israel, perhaps - that is perhaps the right role for him. On the part of Palestine it needs to be someone who has been involved on their side -it is a bit shocking that this even needs to be pointed out. Their backers in the Arab world voted for a two state solution and it should be Palestinians and representatives from those countries who need to be involved to ensure that there is full agreement across those countries.

And many don't. Lets judge him on what he achieves, or not,now. Not many would put themselves forward for a job where being universally criticised is baked in.

Many people still regard Blair as a war criminal.

Not so much by the families of all the many people he had killed on the back of a massive lie.

I'm sure that if one of his loved ones were sentenced to the death penalty by a judge who laughed about 'sexing up' the false 'evidence' that made them appear guilty, he wouldn't be quite so blasé about it.

I'm just an ordinary, insignificant person and, hands up, I've never resolved and brought any wars to an end; but then I've also never started any either.

It’s not parachuting him in. He was Middle East envoy on behalf of UN plus US, Europe and Russia for many years. Hes known, liked and respected by all the leaders of ME states.

The proposal as far as we can tell is a two state solution.

Seeing that man in photos or on the TV makes me feel genuinely sick.

The absolute chutzpah and gross lack of personal awareness he has.

It is a terrible, terrible idea. How on earth could Blair have any sort of credible negotiating standing, given his involvement in wmd? Apparently he is being marketed as someone with credibility in the area - the era of Spin returns.

Message to Trump - Trump, this is a very bad idea. The only good idea is to negotiate a two state solution. No, a two state solution would not "honour Hamas" it would seek to put in place a solution to what has gone on since 1917 when Balfour signed the Balfour Agreement.

Mandatory Palestine Mk2?
Didn’t end well last time.
Smells like colonial spirit. But at this stage, I can’t see another way through this tragedy.

Actually I agree with this.

I'd take any way of peace coming but would prefer it to be entirely Arab led.

I can already hear the cries about our complicity when all goes FUBAR.