An Israeli flag flies near destroyed buildings in Gaza, on Sept. 25, 2025. (Credit: Jack Guez/AFP)
The United States is reportedly weighing a plan to appoint former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a “temporary governor” of Gaza before handing authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to Haaretz, citing a senior Israeli political source.
The plan, described as “materializing,” is backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, and “Israeli officials have not objected,” the source told the newspaper.
The same source said the issue of transferring power is sensitive. “The PA is a complex entity; it could go either way, but I don’t see it taking on official responsibility,” the source said. The source also noted Israel does not rule out “the involvement of an international force with Blair.”
Under the proposal, an “international authority” with a mandate from the U.N. Security Council would oversee reconstruction and governance in Gaza for several years in coordination with the Palestinian Authority.
An international force would also be deployed to secure the enclave’s borders and prevent Hamas from regrouping, according to an Arab source cited by Haaretz, confirming media reports this week about a roadmap developed by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
However, the plan remains “vague” on how and when authority would be transferred to the PA, and lacks a timeline. “There is concern that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu could exploit this ambiguity to block the PA’s role in Gaza,” the Israeli source added.
On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump met in New York with Arab and Muslim leaders, where he outlined elements of a post-war governance plan for Gaza, according to U.S. officials quoted by Axios. The officials said Trump is seeking Arab backing for a framework to govern Gaza after Hamas, and has pointed to Blair’s role as central to the effort.
Trump also sought to reduce Arab concerns that the plan would involve the displacement of Gazans. The Financial Times reported in July that the Blair Institute was tied to a proposal to relocate nearly 500,000 Palestinians, a claim the institute denied.
Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump on Monday to discuss Gaza’s future. Before that, he is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, where he has pledged to denounce efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
At least 151 of the U.N.’s 193 member states have recognized a Palestinian state, while Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted, “There will be no Palestinian state.”
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