The beach in the Gaza Strip has become a makeshift camp for displaced people whose homes were destroyed. Photograph: Omar Ashtawy/APAImages/Shutterstock
White House says seven-strong board, chaired by Trump, will steer Gaza through next phase of reconstruction
Donald Trump has appointed the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and former British prime minister Tony Blair to a newly created Gaza “board of peace”, a body he claims will steer the next phase of reconstruction and governance in the war-ravaged territory.
The White House said the seven-strong “founding executive board” will also include Trump’s special envoy, the property developer Steve Witkoff; the World Bank president, Ajay Banga; and the president’s son-in-law and long-time adviser Jared Kushner. Trump himself will serve as chair, with further appointments expected in the coming weeks.
“Each executive board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization,” a White House statement said.
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Blair’s inclusion is likely to prove contentious in the region. The former Labour leader remains a divisive figure in the Middle East for his role in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Soon after leaving office in 2007 he became special representative of the Quartet, a group composed of the US, EU, Russia and the UN seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians. But he became seen as too close to the Israelis and stepped down in 2015.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAKeir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Tony Blair hosted Hugo Chávez at Downing Street months before the coup. (Photo: Gerry Penny / Alamy)
Exclusive: UK embassy feared backlash from “wealthier residents of Caracas” if it helped save Venezuelan president’s life in 2002
Britain’s embassy in Caracas rebuffed appeals to help Venezuela’s democratically elected president during a right-wing coup, newly unearthed documents reveal.
The coup that ousted Hugo Chávez on 11 April 2002 was orchestrated by dissident military officers and opposition figures, with support from Washington.
After 47 hours, however, Chávez had been reinstated as Venezuela’s president following massive popular mobilisations against his removal.
Newly released documents reveal how, during those two tumultuous days, Chávez appealed to the British embassy in Caracas to help save his life.
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[T]he British embassy in Caracas was reluctant to help him during the coup.
UK officials worried about the possible reaction from Venezuela’s upper classes, who had overwhelmingly supported the coup against Chávez.
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After appealing for Britain’s help, Chávez was arrested and taken to a military base during the early hours of 12 April.
“As Chavez is now under arrest”, the Foreign Office noted later that day, “the question” of helping him travel safely to the airport “no longer arises”.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Venezuela 2002
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is a 2003 film focusing on events in Venezuela leading up to and during the April 2002 coup d'état attempt, which saw President Hugo Chávez removed from office for two days.
While the makers of this film are scrupulous in avoiding attributing the origins of the coup against the popular and progressive, democratically elected, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his constitutional government, this contemporary film footage makes it abundantly clear that the imperialist government and state agencies of the United States of America are behind this illegal and anti-democratic coup.
It is particularly important and timely to relive and remember this anti Chávez coup, at the present moment in early 2019, as the US is again attempting to remove the democratically elected president, and close comrade of Chavez, Nicholas Maduro.
There is no crime that capital will not commit to secure a high profit margin, and Venezuelan proven oil reserves are the largest on Earth. Larger even than Saidi Arabia's, and they are in Uncle Sam's back Yard.
The arrogant Monroe doctrine, that the American hemisphere 'belongs' to the US imperialists is the living creed of the billionaire parasites who grow fat by ensuring the poverty of the masses of the Latin American people.
They are aided and abetted by local elites throughout Latin America and accross the world. This documentary footage is a primary source that reveals the truth of their shady and conspiratorial dealings to cheat humanity of our rights - a share of the wealth that our labour generates, and the beautiful and harmonious society it could bring to the benefit of all.
The Venezuelan people deliver a mighty popular lesson that is recorded live in this film: that the people when organised and united hold real power, but require courageous and revolutionary leadership. This film is a tribute to the Venezuelan masses, and to Hugo Chávez! It is compelling viewing. Watch it and share. Be inspired to fight for a better world.
"The people, united, will never be defeated!"
With particular emphasis on the role played by Venezuela's private media, the film examines several key incidents: the protest march and subsequent violence that provided the impetus for Chávez's ousting; the opposition's formation of an interim government headed by business leader Pedro Carmona; and the Carmona administration's collapse, which paved the way for Chávez's return.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
President Donald Trump gives opening remarks during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he was unsure whether former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would join the new “Peace Council” planned to oversee the governance of the Gaza Strip, amid ongoing criticism of Blair’s role in the Iraq war.
“I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody,” Trump told reporters, without naming specific leaders who might have a say in Blair’s appointment.
The Gaza peace plan, announced by the White House last month, listed Blair as a proposed member of the new council.
Trump made his remarks to journalists aboard Air Force One during his flight to Israel, where he is scheduled to deliver a speech to the Knesset on Monday.
He also plans to attend a world leaders’ summit in Egypt aimed at formally ending the war in Gaza, as the ceasefire enters its fourth day.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
People on Westminster Bridge as they take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign march in central London, October 11, 2025
HUNDREDS of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of central London on Saturday to mark two years since the start of the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
The march, assessed by organisers at over 600,000 people, came as preparations ramped up today to get desperately needed aid to Palestinians in the enclave following Friday’s ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas-led resistance groups.
The protest in London was the 32nd national demonstration and came after the government questioned the need for it given the truce in Gaza. Ministers say they intend to give greater powers to restrict protests by allowing the police to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeated demonstrations.
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Zarah Sultana, the independent MP for Coventry South and a co-founder of “Your Party,” slammed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for switching sides on Palestine and for “locking up pensioners and priests for opposing the ban on Palestine Action.”
She told the huge rally outside Downing Street that the Home Secretary “doesn’t want to just ban demonstrations, she wants to criminalise dissent — she want to send a message that if you march for Palestine, if you speak out against genocide, if you demand justice, then the state considers you the problem. Shame on her.”
Independent MP for Islington North and “Your Party” co-founder Jeremy Corbyn told the huge rally in Whitehall that despite declaring the ceasefire in Gaza “the Israeli army killed 17 Palestinians and injured 71 over the previous 24 hours.”
He said: “Peace will only come to Gaza when Israel is forced to leave Gaza. We will be here as often and as long as it takes.”
He slapped down a scheme to install former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in a “board of peace” running Gaza.
“Viceroy Blair will not bring peace,” Mr Corbyn told the Morning Star.
Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German compared the demonstration to the far-right “hate march” a few weeks ago.
She said: “This is what a large demonstration looks like. This is a march of solidarity. We should hold our heads up high today.”
But Ms German insisted that “a ceasefire is not enough. We want the war criminals brought to justice.”
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAKeir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.