As details on the long-term truce in the Israel / Palestinian conflict continue to flow out to the public, some are rushing to put measures in place to rebuild after the destruction from the thousands of bombs that were dropped over seven weeks. The rebuilding wouldn’t necessarily be an area wide endeavor. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now Middle East Quartet Envoy, wants to immediately focus on opening the Gaza Strip to the world. He wants nations to join in the rebuilding effort, but it should be controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
“Such a plan can allow Gaza residents to lead better lives, and Israeli citizens to live in safety and security,” Blair said.
Blair puts an amazing amount of trust in the PA to manage a process like this. I guess in Tony’s world, no corruption exists. History shows when millions (or billions) of dollars are showered on a government for infrastructure, the money gets skimmed. Sometimes it completely vanishes into government or individual coffers. What guarantees would “the world” have to ensure the PA doesn’t turn around and manufacture more bombs with money targeted to this restoration effort?
And do you think Hamas would sit by idly and not expect to grab its own portion of the cash for it’s terrorist operations?
The truth is none of this will ever happen. Am I surprised by this suggestion from Blair? No. He’s trying to be relevant. He wants his name out there in conjunction with this truce agreement. I think world leaders would see his insertion here as just that – a way for Tony to claim ownership over a grand plan, even if it has no chance of implementation.