Former UK Prime Minister Blair eyed as mediator for Gaza’s future, discussed emigration of Gaza residents – Channel 12

Tony Blair reported to look into voluntary emigration for Gazans

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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is functioning as a mediator between Israel and moderate Arab countries in discussions about the future of the Gaza Strip and its residents following the war, Israel’s Channel 12 news reported on Sunday.

Blair reportedly visited Israel last week and held a series of unofficial meetings with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz.

The Channel 12 report noted 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 rejected reports that he was involved in discussions on 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 concept of voluntary emigration from Gaza was most prominently floated by Israel’s former UN Ambassador Danny Danon, who wrote an op-ed on Nov. 13, “The West Should Welcome Gaza Refugees,” in The Wall Street Journal.

Last week, Danon claimed that South American and African countries expressed interest in receiving refugees from Gaza if they were compensated monetarily.

On Sunday, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed reports of Blair leading a task force to resettle Gazan civilians who want to reside in other countries, calling it a “necessary component of the real solution to the ‘day after,’ which Jewish Power has been leading.”

“This is a morally just step to take, first and foremost for Gaza border residents, and for all of Israel,” Ben Gvir said, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The question of what the Gaza Strip will look like after the war has been raised repeatedly in recent weeks, especially by American allies.

The Israeli government has so far not presented an official plan for the Gaza Strip about 'the day after' the war between Israel and the Hamas terror organization.

Netanyahu said ‘the day after’ has been discussed with Israel's National Security Council (Malal), as many as eight times and will be brought before the Israeli cabinet this week.