UK role in Gaza peace settlement questioned by US figures | Gaza

As world leaders descended on Egypt on Monday to celebrate the first phase of the Gaza peace deal and discuss next steps, there was a curious air of discord between the US and Britain.

Education Minister Bridget Phillipson appeared He was on the BBC on Sunday talking about Britain’s “key role” in shaping the peace deal – just He slapped X US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee described it as “delusional”.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, reposted a message Former British officer Richard Kemp claims: “The British government played no role in the ceasefire agreement, other than a negative role in encouraging Hamas to resist through the recognition of a non-existent ‘Palestinian state’.”

By Monday morning, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was trying to undo the damage, specifically pointing to the role played by Britain’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell.

Downing Street did not say on Monday whether the government had asked Witkoff to send his message, which was broadcast on X.

This public debate highlights a deeper question: for all the promises and air miles spent by Keir Starmer and other senior ministers to end the conflict, has any of it made a difference?

“The UK has made clear from the beginning that it cares about this and that this is important,” said Bronwen Maddox, director of the Chatham House think tank. “Despite Israel’s complaints about the UK’s recognition of the state of Palestine, this played an important role in signaling how preoccupied the UK and others were with what was happening in the region.”

Government advisers acknowledge that Donald Trump and the United States played by far the biggest role in achieving the peace deal. But they say Britain has done more than show that it cares about the outcome of the conflict.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday: “We have been offering our full support to these efforts over the past few weeks and months, including working behind the scenes with the United States, Arab and European countries to help develop ideas and build consensus on the steps that need to be taken to create a plan for the future of Gaza.”

Officials highlight the roles played by former prime minister Powell and Tony Blair and insist their experience leading the Northern Ireland peace process proved invaluable in bringing Israel and Hamas to the negotiating table.

They argue that this effect is moderately significant. For example, article 13 of the 20-article peace plan is about the demilitarization of Gaza and reflects how important disarmament is in the Good Friday agreement.

Article 18, meanwhile, calls for a “process of interfaith dialogue” aimed at “highlighting the benefits that can be achieved from peace”, an echo of the Forum for Reconciliation and Peace established in Northern Ireland in 1994.

Some experts reject the idea that Powell, Blair or any of the Starmer government could help shape the substance of a peace deal; especially since this deal is based on a similar deal put forward by former president Joe Biden before Labor entered government.

“This deal has been on the table since Biden,” Maddox said. “This has little to do with the Good Friday agreement.”

However, one of the areas where Powell is effective is persuading all parties to enter the peace process without knowing the outcome.

“What Northern Ireland has taught us is that engaging in the process builds its own confidence and momentum,” one official said. “So even if you don’t believe the other party will stick to their commitments, you still start phase one as a way to demonstrate commitment and build trust, which will happen later.”

Starmer spent much of Monday speaking to other world leaders in Sharm El Sheikh and repeatedly stressed that Britain “stands ready to play a leadership role in the reconstruction of Gaza”, according to statements from Downing Street.

The Prime Minister told leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and King Abdullah of Jordan that Britain could help monitor the disarmament of Hamas in particular.

Meanwhile, Middle East minister Hamish Falconer is leading a three-day summit at Wilton Park to discuss rebuilding Gaza; The UK is offering £20 million towards this effort.

But it remains undecided whether the British government will play a more direct role in any transitional authority.

“The exact membership and form of this board are still subject to debate,” No 10 said in a statement on Monday.