'Peace in a year if the Palestinians give up violence'
Tony Blair believes a viable two-state solution in the Middle East is impossible until the Palestinians "give up violence".
He also and admits his support for Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War damaged his premiership "more than anything since Iraq".
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The former Prime Minister, who is currently involved in Middle East negotiations as Quartet Envoy, also stressed that the only hope for peace lies in creating a Palestinian state that "has strong institutions and a robust economy", but added that this was difficult when: "Peace between Israel and Palestine is seen as a threat to all those extremists in the Islamic world."
Whilst describing the "occupation" of the Palestinians as an "injustice", he added that: "this is a region with plenty of plenty of injustices".
He said: "As I spend more time in Palestine I see it is often easier to raise money for the ‘resistance’ than Palestinian statehood."
He also mourns the "total despair" that has befallen the conflict since the start of the intifada in 2000, which began a decade of failed attempts at peace during his and George Bush’s tenures.
Blair reflects that: "A peace roadmap was near to completion at the end of the Clinton era, but ended in total despair following the intifada of 2000. There then followed a terrible passage of events, involving Palestinian terrorist attacks followed by Israeli retaliation. The result was the vastly increased weight of the Israeli occupation."
Despite acknowledging Israel should do more to "push along the necessary changes on the ground in the West Bank and Gaza", he is adamant that a peace treaty would be achieved within a year if "the Palestinians gave up violence".
He also details how his support for Israel after it retaliated against continual rocket attacks from Hezbollah in the 2006 Lebanon War, lost him the support of Cabinet colleagues.
He said: "Whereas at the start of the conflict there was a common belief Hezbollah had it coming, and if Israel took them out so much the better- once Israel used force to try and deter further attacks, suddenly Israel, with its modern and advanced army, is seen as aggressor."
He adds that the divide that this caused in his Cabinet caused him, "more damage than anything since Iraq". Within a year he had retired from his office.
Labour Friends of Israel Chair Andrew Gwynne MP said: "Blair's comments show that he has a remarkable ability to understand the complexities of the Middle East conflict. He appreciates both the need for Israel to feel safe and secure, and for the Palestinians to have a viable state of their own."
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