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

[mids2019]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/25/washington-backing-plan-for-tony-blair-to-head-transitional-gaza-authority

From New Labour to New Gaza.

Just wondering what sort of pad he would set up in Gaza city. But of a contrast to Downing St.

I guess Sir Tony would have to have a few Palestinian flags around him but this may be a really positive step and a different leadership to a terrorist organisation. It would be a real challenge though to commit to diplomacy with Israel while having to understand the Palestinian culture and organise resconstruction.

Fair play to having something to do in your retirement years.....most people choose a bit of gardening.

Who are they then? Hamas has run Gaza since 2006. Who are the Palestinians who have expertise and experience running Gaza that aren't Hamas?

So you can’t suggest anyone.

No one suggested Palestinian people are uneducated or unskilled by the way. It’s just hard to think of any of their leaders that appear neutral enough to be able to understand both points of view. It obviously can’t be anyone that has expressed hatred for Israel in the past.

IMO an interesting article which examines the problems stated:

"the decay in Palestinian political institutions is so advanced, and the prospects for the Palestinian national movement so troubled, that it makes sense to shift to a different vocabulary. The term “Palestinian reform” once had a very specific meaning involving specific fiscal, procedural, legal, and constitutional changes in Palestinian governance. But it now mixes such sincere and expert meanings with others that are vacuous, disingenuous, naïve, or even hypocritical. The term no longer reflects a viable standalone project; instead it must be placed within the context of a revival of Palestinian politics in general as well as international support for Palestinian national rights.
That will be a herculean and perhaps a generational task; if it is seen as either an exclusively Palestinian or an exclusively international project, then it will fail. While there are finally signs that some Palestinian and international actors are finally grappling with what such a revival means, the task is likely be more difficult than they acknowledge."

A mix of voices in the immediate time with eventually the ability to self govern once deradicalized of course. The constant wipe Israel out narrative has to end in any progress is to be made.

Link to article if anyone is interested.

https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/09/palestinian-politics-reform-elections-international-support?lang=en

Maybe some hope here, there has to be a completely different way of thinking. Hatred for Israel and terrorism clearly isn't working and won't.

Over the past year, a new unofficial body, the National Conference for Palestine, has emerged. This body is far more insistent on criticizing the governance practices of the existing Palestinian leadership; its statement reflects a desire to rebuild a national movement, connect leaders to their constituents, manage deep divisions among Palestinians, and develop structures for national strategy and decisionmaking. But it is rooted primarily in intellectual and opposition circles, and therefore the leadership regards it as hostile and lacking broad-based support both among Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and from potential international supporters (other than Qatar, where the group has met).

Who said Palestinians are uneducated and unskilled and all terrorists? Please show me who said that?

And yet everyone except Hamas and Iran seem to be up for it.

I am not sure what you mean by "everyone", or "up for it" and a few of us have already explained the position but to illustrate - if Israel said to Blair "we want full security control over the area, just as we have in the west bank" would Blair be able to push back or would he have to agree? If Israel said "we will give Palestinians rights but not agree to a 2 state solution" would Blair be able to push back or would he have to agree?

I didn't say anyone said it.

It is implied by posts who ask who could represent them, and posts which refer to terrorists who just want to keep on fighting, I think. And it is implied by what we know of the proposal and the fact that we have been informed that Blair is inthe offing to run the show, I think

I think "ignorant" is a bit rude of you.

I don't think you understand the situation or the proposals, Iran and other backer Arab states are in favour of a 2 state solution as are some Palestinian leaders, it is therefore appropriate that Palestine leads with reps they choose in relation to negotiations.

Are you aware that a 2 state solution would not just be Gaza?

Iran doesn't recognise Israel either and funds Hamas, they are certainly not in favour of a two state solution. They call Israel a cancer.

Who on earth would Palestinians choose? Hamas has murdered every polticial opponent

I think it would be a bit of a cheek for you or anyone else here to "suggest" someone. This is just colonialist thinking on your part . And in terms of neutrality again this is an extraordinary statement. Anything about lack of neutrality you say will apply to both side equally. To suggest that there is no one on the Palestinian side who could negotiate towards a fair and reasonable and win win solution is incredibly insulting.

Thanks for posting the link but this is a very narrow and possibly flawed analysis, I think to understand the position you would need to look at Arabic media and commentaries as well, look at a broad range of comment

You are right in your final paragraph, but again that applies to both sides.

Iran along with most of the Arab world voted in favour of a two state solution at the UN, so you are completely incorrect.

Netanyahu has said he is not in favour of it, but with international encouragement that might change.

Colonial thinking lol.

Don’t you think it’s colonial thinking from Greta & co ( but especially Greta a privileged white woman) to think they can sail into the Middle East and tell another country what to do?

I’m not saying there’s no one suitable on the Palestinian side I’m asking you to name one as Blair is apparently such a bad choice. But no one seems able to find a Palestinian leader that has never previously expressed hatred of Israel.

Both sides have expressed hatred of eachother, to be fair. And people have compared the GFA - there you had the government negitating with NI despite the years of bombings etc, and yet NI reps were empowered at the negot table - not to mention the development of devolution. Blair is not Palestinian, is the point. And he is not chosen by them as their rep. It is very, very unlikely that he would be able to negotiate a 2 state solution with Israel.

Greta - I have only heard one interview and in it she says that it isn't acceptable that Israel is bombing Gaza and causing such incredible damage and destruction etc - she passes comment on what shouldn't be allowed - not really sure how that is relevant here?

To provide an update, I have seen a report on a joint statement from ME countries (SA, Q, J, E, and others) saying that they'd like to see more details about how the 2 state solution will be achieved, a "roadmap in relation to negotiation" to this, confirmation of IDF leaving, proposal of PLA being made in charge of Gaza etc in relation to the proposal of the transitional phase, and there are other points on which clarification is sought by all. Hamas has committed to the release of hostages plan, I think.

I should have said "on the face of it" at the end of the first para, given that we obviously don't have all info available to us.