Trump ties Blair’s Gaza council appointment to approval by all parties

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed reservations about appointing former British prime minister Tony Blair as a member of the “Gaza Peace Council,” saying he wants to ensure the appointment “is acceptable to all parties,” amid controversy over Blair’s role in the Iraq war and waning popularity among Palestinians and Britons alike.

Trump said, speaking to reporters on board Air Force One en route to Israel: “I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to make sure he’s an acceptable choice for everyone,” noting the ongoing criticism of Blair for his support of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Last month’s White House peace plan included Blair’s name as a member of the proposed council to oversee the post-war phase in the Gaza Strip. But Trump said he was unsure how acceptable Blair would be: “I want to know whether Tony will be popular with everyone, I simply don’t know.”

The idea of appointing Blair has been met with broad reservations from Palestinian politicians and analysts, as well as from members of the British Labour Party to which he belongs, since his reputation remains affected by his support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The council is scheduled to begin work “as soon as possible,” Trump said. Blair won three consecutive elections in Britain and is regarded as one of the country’s prominent political leaders, but his support for the Iraq invasion, the subsequent deaths of British soldiers and the revelation that the invasion’s pretext was false led to a sharp decline in his popularity at home and abroad.