BRUSSELS, March24, 2010(WAFA)- Special Envoy for the Quartet Tony Blair said before the European Parliament said, 'only way to reach an agreement that will last is by negotiation, proximity talks need to begin and lead to direct talks, and that the majority of people in Israel and Palestine supported a two state solution.”
He took an optimistic view, believing that current problems, although severe, could only be solved by an eventual agreement in his speech at the European Parliament, the ex UK Prime Minister acknowledged that the current situation was full of 'immense problems', after Israel's intention to continue building settlements in defiance of the international community.
However, the uartet envoy was keen to point out small but significant improvements, especially in the field of security, saying that he often visits places where he once couldn't go, such as Jenin and Nablus.
Blair praised the Palestinian Authority for their efforts in “state building”, crediting them with real improvements to security and the economy, stating that, 'You can see the possibility of a state starting to take shape.' Blair was generous about Europe, praising their humanitarian work and staff on the ground and pointed out that this financial support should be translated into political capital. Blair noted that, 'Europe has a yearning to play a political role... we will play that role if we focus on what we do and what we can do that nobody else can'.
Blair was careful in his words, but said that some people find the process 'extremely frustrating' but he warned that, if you express that frustration, you're left with having to talk to the same people the next day'.
When faced with questions critical of Israel, Blair called on his experience and explained the art of negotiating, 'you have to be able to look at an issue from each side's perspective, to understand how they view it' and on suggestions to punish Israel, he asked people to be realistic, 'Sanctions? It's not going to happen'. He described his job as 'not headline grabbing stuff' but part of the daily business of developing capacity by dealing with 'water, sewerage, electricity'.
He repeatedly drew on his experience in the Northern Ireland peace agreement saying that, 'things never look as bad or as good as they seem. Right now they do not look good in Palestine, and there has been a breakdown in trust. But in this situation I believe that you should never give up.'
He clashed with MEP's, who took him to talks over his optimism. Development Committee Chair Eva Joly (Greens/EFA) said we had seen how little he had achieved and urged a unilateral declaration of two states. Blair responded by pointing out that 'I've noticed that unilateral gestures can often be of more value to the people making then than the people concerned', and repeated that a 'Palestinian state will only come about through negotiation'.
Richard Howitt (S&D) asked about the role of Hamas and Blair said that, 'If there is a strong forward momentum behind the process that gives us a realistic prospect of seeing peace Hamas would have to decide whether to support it or to stand apart', adding that, 'the majority of people in Gaza and West Bank back the two state solution'.
Although Hamas is not officially part of the negotiations, Blair pointed out that they were not, in reality excluded, as 'people talk to Hamas all the time'.
