Former British PM Blair strongly rejects report about involvement in resettling Gazans after war

Tony Blair Institute for Global Change issues strong denial of Israel's report on Channel 12

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After an Israeli TV news report linked former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to talks about a possible voluntary emigration of Gazan citizens, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change called the report “a lie.”

“The story was published without any contact with Tony Blair or his team. No such discussion has taken place,” the organization said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Nor would Tony Blair have such a discussion. The idea is wrong in principle. Gazans should be able to stay and live in Gaza.”

The report on Channel 12 news on Sunday announced that Blair unofficially visited Israel last week and is functioning as a mediator with moderate Arab countries in discussions about the future of the Gaza Strip and its residents after the war.

Blair reportedly held a series of unofficial meetings with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, with the report suggesting that Blair is expected to tackle the controversial question of voluntary emigration of Gazan civilians and the possibility of nations worldwide absorbing them.

Blair’s office had already rejected reports that he was involved in discussions regarding the issue.

“Reports that Mr. Blair has anything to do with the voluntary evacuation of Gazans is simply not true, there has been no such discussion nor would he consider it,” the British prime minister's office said shortly after the report.

The idea of a voluntary resettlement of part of Gaza's population has been repeatedly floated, most prominently by Knesset Member Danny Danon in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

Right-wing politicians, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have expressed their support for the idea.

The “correct solution” to the war is “to encourage the voluntary migration of Gaza’s residents to countries that will agree to take in the refugees,” Smotrich said Monday at a meeting with his Religious Zionism party.