The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) has come under scrutiny after revelations that staff engaged in calls and message groups about a controversial proposal to transform Gaza into a luxury resort zone nicknamed the “Trump Riviera.”

The plan, developed by Israeli business interests using Boston Consulting Group (BCG) financial models, reportedly aimed to attract private investment by paying half a million Palestinians to leave Gaza.

What Was Proposed

According to reports, including a Financial Times investigation, the project’s materials highlighted 10 “mega projects,” including:

• The “Trump Riviera” coastal resort.
• The “Elon Musk smart manufacturing zone.”
• Major highways named after Saudi Arabia’s and the UAE’s leaders.

Slides detailing the scheme were reportedly shared with the Trump administration in an effort to secure U.S. and Gulf backing.

TBI Response

The Blair Institute said it had no role in creating or endorsing the plan. A spokesperson clarified that while two staff members participated in calls and shared an internal TBI document analyzing various Gaza proposals, this did not constitute involvement or approval.

“Of course we’re opposed to any plan which tries to make Gazans leave Gaza,” the institute said. “We want them to be able to stay and live in Gaza.”

BCG, meanwhile, has faced backlash over its links to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and says it has severed ties with the group and dismissed staff who allegedly misled leadership about their involvement.