"The central problem of the conflict is the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian homeland. So, if he is not going to discuss this issue, then what is the point of his presence here?" said an aide to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Good question. But, the better question to Chairman Abbas is, why does he go along with this charade? Surely, he knows that Blair, the same man whose hands are stained red with Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iraqi blood, cannot be a fair and impartial interlocutor. Surely, Abbas knows that Blair will continue to take and follow Bush's orders as he did while he was Prime Minister. Surely, Abbas can see that the deck has already been stacked in Israel's favor. Why don't Abbas just end the charade now and refuse to deal with Blair and he has refused to deal with the ELECTED Palestinian Prime Minister Haniyah?
by Khalid Amayreh, Palestine-Info - July 24, 2007
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the new Middle East envoy of the US-dominated Quartet of peace mediators, began his mission in Palestine on 23 July with "exploratory talks" with Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israeli officials.
The Bush administration, bullied by an extraordinarily powerful Jewish lobby, reportedly asked Blair to refrain from discussing "matters of substance" and "final-status issues" pertaining to the Palestinian question. Instead, the Bush administration asked Blair to focus on technical matters, including building PA institutions and mobilizing support for the Ramallah-based government.
An unidentified source at the Israeli Prime Minister's office was quoted by the Ha'aretz newspaper on 21 July as expressing the hope that Blair "wouldn't seek to broaden this mandate and attempt to negotiate sensitive political issues."
"The way we understand his mandate is that he will concentrate on building institutions in the Palestinian Authority to bolster the chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, and this is what we will discuss with him.
"He has a clear mandate to ensure that the PA will be strong and take care of its citizens, and this is something we will also want. As far as the final status settlement is concerned, this will be carried out in direct negotiations with the Palestinians."
On the other side, Palestinian officials insist that Blair's entire mission will fail unless he tackles the core issues and effects a momentum toward ending the 40-year-old Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.
"The central problem of the conflict is the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian homeland. So, if he is not going to discuss this issue, then what is the point of his presence here?" said an aide to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestinian official accused Israel of trying to undercut Blair's mission by eviscerating it of substance.
"They want him to confine his mission to technical matters such as building institutions and coordinating foreign aide. These are very secondary matters. The problem is not foreign aid or building institutions. Indeed, how can institutions be built under this evil military occupation. The problem is the occupation."
Blair was slated to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday (23 July) before meeting with opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu, Vice premier Haim Ramon and President Shimon Peres.
He is expected travel to Ramallah Tuesday to meet with PA Chairman Abbas and his prime minister Salam Fayyadh.
Earlier, the Gaza-based Hamas-led government called on Blair not to write Hamas off during his visit.
"You can't ignore Hamas and its supporters and dream of having peace and stability in this part of the world. Hamas and Muslims are the key to peace since the western-backed regimes don't really represent the masses," said Yahya Mousa, a Hamas lawmaker in Gaza.
However, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said Hamas wouldn't boycott Blair.
"We won't say no to anyone, including Tony Blair. We are willing to maintain ties with anyone as long as it isn't the occupier."
Israel has voiced apprehension following suggestions that Blair might decide to meet with some Hamas officials.
An Israeli spokeswoman described the prospect of such a meeting as "totally unacceptable."
Meanwhile, most Palestinian commentators gave Blair zero chance of success in his mission.
Palestinian commentator Hani al Masri cited several handicaps which he said would decidedly determine Blair's mission.
"First of all, he is not authorized to discuss the core issues and his mandate is very very limited. Second, we all know that Blair has very little leverage on Israel, hence his ability to effect peace is very limited.
"Besides, there is no real chance for peace unless there is a phenomenally massive international pressure on Israel to give up the spoils of the 1967 war, and I don't see this kind of pressure coming forth with this or any other visit.
"In short, this mission will have the same fate and same failure as previous mission."
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