Blair also said “Israel doesn’t understand how much the regional reality has changed.” If Israel doesn’t understand, nobody does.
On Sunday, Tony Blair was in the Gaza Strip, his first visit there since 2009. It was a surprise visit – his guards deliberated up until the last moment whether to allow him to join the convoy.
He started his visit at a checkpoint in the Hamas-run territory. He avoided meeting the Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh, but met three members of the Government of National Consensus established last year in an attempt to end years of infighting between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority – the ministers for Labor, Justice and Welfare.
The convoy took the western road, through Beit Lahia and the Shata refugee camp. They took him to Saja’iyya to see the destruction from Operation Protective Edge last summer; they took him to an UNRWA school to see how Gazans who lost their homes are now living.
The highlight of the visit was a meeting with 90 businesspeople – old and young. They received him extremely warmly, and he flashed them his million-dollar smile. And at the end, they all stood in line for a selfie with him.
Blair, now 62, was a Labor Party man who led the British government for 10 years. His historic achievement was the agreement that ended the decades-old conflict in Northern Ireland. Immediately after he stepped down in 2007, he was appointed the Quartet Representative to the Middle East. He represents the combined will of the US, Russian, the EU and the UN – if such a will even exists.
He is the region every three to four weeks, when he meets heads of state, urges them to reconcile, to cooperate and promote peace. They listen politely, and afterwards do the exact opposite. Like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, only the smile remains after him.
I met him in Jerusalem on Monday. What did you see in Gaza, I asked.
“The reality is very difficult,” Blair says. “This is bad for them, and it’s bad for all of us. The problem goes beyond the physical destruction of the war; Gaza has been abandoned for years.
“The responsibility for the situation lies on all of us – the international community, Hamas, the PA, Egypt and Israel. Terror comes out of Gaza, and the question is what can be done to stop it: Do you open Gaza up or shut it down? Israel has faced this dilemma for a long time, and now Egypt is going through the same process. I say – let’s change the reality completely.”
You’re a practical man, I say, what do you suggest be done?
“Right,” he replies, “that’s why I say the situation cannot be left the way it is. It’s important for you, for Israel. You cannot live with rockets from Gaza. On the other hand, you do not want to reoccupy. This means that the next military conflict is not far off.
“I suggest acting on three fronts: First, rehabilitate the water and energy infrastructure, let in construction materials in a way that will not harm security, (and) support the economy.
“Second, bring about a change in Palestinian politics – pose difficult questions to Hamas: Will they accept an arrangement with Israel based on the 1967 lines, are they prepared to end terrorism, are they prepared to end their ties with outside terror forces?
“Third, Egypt. The Egyptian demands on security from Hamas must be met – and then that will change its approach towards Gaza.”
What makes you think this is possible, I ask.
“The regional picture,” he states. “I hear from Arab leaders of state the same things I hear from Israel: ISIS is dangerous, Iran is dangerous. Israel doesn’t understand how much the regional reality has changed. The entire region is in a state of upheaval, and we continue to look at the (Israeli-Palestinian) conflict as if nothing has changed.
“I believe that Israel can create a partnership with countries in the region – Saudi Arabia, for example, and the Gulf states. The blockage is the Palestinian problem. This is a highly charged issue, emotional, even for moderate forces. The change is, of course, also dependent upon the Palestinians. I say to the Israelis that peace doesn’t only depend on you, but you must strive for peace. If you don’t, your situation in the world will worsen.”
You talk of strategic change, I say, but even the money pledged to reconstruct Gaza has not arrived.
“The money isn’t coming in because at the moment there’s no united Palestinian government,” says Blair. “The PA and Hamas both need to change their position. I have always said that the Palestinian unity government must be based on the peace process.
“Time after time, the two sides to the conflict (Israel and the Palestinians) were put into a room, on the assumption that if they sit together, they’ll reach an agreement. I say, first of all, let’s change the conditions (on the ground). Let’s start with the steps that Israel can take in order to improve (Palestinian) daily lives. It’s not hard to do that.”
What do you think about the clash between Netanyahu and the Obama government, I ask. Can Netanyahu’s trip to Washington prevent the coming agreement with Iran?
“You have to wait and see what’s put on the table,” says Blair. “At the end of the day, the Israeli and American interests are identical. I have no doubt about that.”
As we’re talking, senior Hamas official Mussa Abu Marzouk announces that his organization has rejected the demands presented by Blair in Gaza. Blair doesn’t give up. On Monday, he went to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah. He came here from Cairo, where he pushed his regional vision. Don’t you miss Ireland, I ask. The war there was so simple, so innocent compared to our wars.
He laughs, a broad, deep laugh. The laugh of a man who has seen it all and done it all. Kito de Boer, the new head of the Quartet office who joined our conversation, also laughs. We laughed and laughed, until it hurt.
now there is something for Blair to think about more relevant to the exterior of his pocket.
a fashion statement for Felix
@ ebyjeeby:
thanks
yamit82 Said:
I tend to assume the second option because acting according to that assumption helps the perpetrator to think more clearly as to the importance of his choice. The Jihadis know this and this is how they get those in the middle to see the efficacy of choosing their side. People tend to choose the easier way, so they help them to make the choice. Choosing for the Jews is a lose lose situation as there is little to gain choosing for the jews, at this time. When Blair, Carter, Europe have something to lose they will think more clearly.
yamit82 Said:
quite a feat, did he have a hand held microphone during the interview? 😛
Bring Marie Harf to the rescue. Give ’em some jobs. Shovel-ready ones. Oops, I forgot, they’re got those already, digging tunnels. Maybe get ’em to move to the States. It’ll speed up Obama’s ‘fundamental transformation’ dream. (sarc)
@B.R.: great posts, agree completely.
@B.Dog: Brits are renowned for horrible teeth. Perhaps their free medical coverage doesn’t include dentistry.
Did I miss an explanation of why Gaza is the world’s responsibility? I’ve looked at the article a couple times and can’t find it. I agree with SL2.
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Nahum Barnea a well respected leftist idiot interviewing his own wood be executioner and fawning all over him like a love sick teenie. An amusing and pathetically sickining interview. They deserve each other. Neither understands a damn thing they both live in alternative realities each in his own way.
Blair is now and has been as paid agent of the Vatican.
When someone palms off blame or responsibility on the world it only means that no one is responsible and no one will act.
Nations and political and religious entities are solely responsible for themselves and their own actions.
He acts towars Hamas as though they are different than ISIS, maybe they are they haven’t been know for chopping off heads yet but they like bombs guns, throwing their opponents and enies off of rooftops dragging live and dead bodies with ropes tied to cars and trucks through the streets of Gaza and just plain hangings. They mutilate our Jewish dead bodies cutting off male genitiles, cutting the hearts out of live victims and eating them etc.
Tony Blair is either one of two options a complete fool and moron or an insidious enemy who wants us all dead and is being paid handsomely to help accomplish that aim.
It looks like the whole world is responsible for his teeth. What us it with British teeth anyway? They are to teeth what the French are to rancid underarms.
Only the gazans are responsible for their very well deserved fate and suffering. Blair is a ridiculous caricature of a parrot who repeats irrelevant homilies when prompted. More ridiculous is that fools pay him to spout his doo doo.
Its astounding that folks who contribute so little are paid millions to waste everyones time.
this proves that he is a superfluous fool. Israel knows, which is why it is blairs ilk and the Euros who are always whining and banging their heads against the wall throwing their money into a big hole while hamas and fatah run laughing to the bank.
But Blair knows this because he is part of the whole corrupt feeding trough like carter.
Blair’s, and the euros, perpetuation of the current state of affairs by promoting narratives of lies makes him and them personally responsible for every Jewish life lost as a result.
Israel is well aware and active but the difference is they are not the dupes that blair and the euros would like them to be.
As England and europe created much of the problem I propose that the pal refs go to europe. Perhaps the ISIS refugee flotillas being set up from libya can be complemented with Israeli covert smuggling subsidies to help build the boat network from gaza, and set up other networks from the west bank. Get the price lower, increase the infrastructure and they will pay to go. So many want to leave there for europe but just dont have the money or a way. Certainly Europe has much more potential for absorbing the refugees than Israel and they have so much in common as witnessed by the euro support for them.
The entire world is responsible for Israel’s fate considering almost the entire world is engaged in conspiracy with Islamic Jihad to annihilate Israel.
Blair is a foolish tool as are almost all Brit politicians frightened to death of their Muslims.
Says who?
The Islamic beasts attack and destroy and must pay for it. They must also pay for electricity, water, food, etc.
No more free lunches for those that rather murder than build. That goes for the vicious items inside here as well.