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tony blair has been driven towards At the forefront of American peace efforts to the Israel–Hamas war, a move that highlights his controversial Middle East legacy, particularly his role in the 2003 invasion of iraq,
Still, in KosovoHe is revered as a hero. As Prime Minister, Blair, along with then US President Bill ClintonPlayed an important role in forming international alliances. This group carried out airstrikes in 1999 to eliminate the Yugoslavian President Slobodan MilosevicCrackdown on ethnic Albanians seeking independence.
Blair’s popularity increased in Kosovo after the war, even leading to a new name for boys: Tonibler, which is the phonetic Albanian spelling of his name.
Tonibalar Gashi, a 24-year-old medical student in Pristina, expressed pride in his name. He said: “My parents wanted to symbolize a state of gratitude and respect for that great man, without whom – we would not be speaking Albanian here in Kosovo.”
But whether Blair’s success in Kosovo can be replicated in the highly complex and volatile environment of Gaza remains deeply disputed.
Gaza ceasefire plan
us President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza Blair would potentially be seen leading a transitional international authority, the “Peace Board”, which would be chaired by Trump himself and govern the Palestinian territory. The proposed body would combine international expertise, technocrats, UN officials and Palestinian representatives and would function under a UN mandate.
its goal is Oversee reconstruction, security, humanitarian reliefand laying the groundwork for more permanent governance structures.
Criticism from Palestinians, Arab states, and international legal scholars has focused on Blair’s controversial past, particularly his support of the Iraq War. They have also expressed concerns over sovereignty, citing fears that the Transitional Authority could bypass the Palestinian Agency.
In a success on Thursday, Israel and Hamas agreed to ceasefire In their disastrous two-year war and the release of remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Blair is no stranger to the Middle East. Before leaving office in 2015, he spent eight years promoting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, working as the Middle East Quartet’s envoy. His resignation was seen as a reflection of the dire state of peace efforts that had worsened under the Israeli prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government.
A defining moment for Kosovo in 1998–99
In Kosovo, Blair and Clinton led a 78-day NATO airstrike campaign that forced Milosevic to pull out his troops and hand over control of what was then a province of Serbia to the United Nations and NATO. More than 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, were killed during the 1998–99 war.
“The fight for Kosovo was not just for Kosovo, but for all of us, including my own country, who believe that it is necessary to stand up, and if necessary, fight, for freedom and justice,” Blair said on the 25th anniversary of the end of the war in June 2024.
Many Kosovars associate Blair with the military intervention that prevented large-scale atrocities and see him as one of the strongest Western leaders to advocate political efforts to address Kosovo’s plight. He is also praised for his support of Kosovo’s post-war reconstruction and institution-building.
A united nations The Mission in Kosovo, or UNMIK, first led by French diplomat Bernard Kouchner, ruled Kosovo until 2008, when it declared independence. The United States and most of the West recognize Kosovo’s independence, but not Serbia or its allies Russia and China.
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Some in Kosovo admire Blair’s work in the Balkan country and express cautious optimism that his experience could serve Gaza well.
“I would ask him to be as straightforward and as respectful to Gaza’s humanitarian cause as he was to ours,” said medical student Gashi, named after the former British prime minister.
Bashkim Fazliu of the We Remember Tony Blair Foundation said that without Blair’s leadership, “we would simply disappear, disappear from Kosovo.” Its foundation was laid in 2023 when Blair’s statue was erected in the southern city of Ferizaj, 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital Pristina.
A square in Firozabad was also named after Tony Blair.
Several streets, squares, or statues have also been named or erected after Clinton and then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
“So maybe this is the last piece he wants to solve in the world. And, I believe he can do it if he gets this opportunity,” Fazliu said.
Similarities, differences and major challenges
In both Kosovo and the proposed Gaza plan, there is an emphasis on International involvement in stopping atrocities, Protecting civilians, rebuilding infrastructure, and laying the foundation for sustainable governance.
Nevertheless, Blair remains a polarizing figure in the Arab world. There is greater doubt about whether external leadership under him could be seen as paternalistic or as undermining Palestinian self-determination.
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Vlora Cetaku, a former diplomat who represented Kosovo at the United Nations, considered Blair “the most suitable person” to help lead the post-war transition in Gaza.
He said, “Mr Blair has what the world lacks and needs in leadership today: courage and empathy.”
Kosovar politician Veton Surroi, who was part of the peace talks that ended the war in 1999, said that Blair’s role in Gaza should be similar to Kouchner’s role in Kosovo, “as someone who constantly develops relationships within the society that will lead that society toward greater responsibility.”
He said, “I wish Tony Blair had the same depth and the same commitment to Gaza as he had to Kosovo.”