Comment at end
31st August, 2009
They COULD … of course they could.
Mr Blair is right.
Middle East Envoy and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair gestures next a section of Israel's separation barrier in the northern West Bank town of Qalqiliya, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Phto/Nasser Ishtayeh)
Whether they ever WILL is another matter.
And whether it is “easier” in many ways than bringing peace in Northern Ireland … well, I’m not so sure if he’s right about that given that all parties in Northern Ireland wanted the same ends (peace and democracy – eventually.)
Perhaps he, as the British leader who helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, knows something I don’t.
From Newsmax:
Tony Blair: Hamas, Hezbollah Could Play Middle East Peace Role
In an interview with Terrasanta.net, a Franciscan Web site, the Middle East Quartet peace envoy also said he supported the idea that Hamas and Hezbollah should be allowed to take part in peace talks, but only if they renounce violence and back a two-state solution.
It’s certainly better to have them in the Palestinian context as part of the process, Blair said. The trouble is that it’s difficult to bring them in unless it’s on a basis that we’re all working towards the same end.
He added: “The Quartet principles are that unless there’s a clear commitment to non-violence as the means of achieving their ends, and unless it’s clear that we’re all trying to get a two-state solution, then it becomes difficult to see what the purpose is in involving them in this. The divisions in Palestinian politics are an inhibition. It is better to overcome them, but you can only ever overcome them if there’s some basic agreement on the principles governing the process.”
Turning to the subject of religious leaders, the former British prime minister said they should play a more significant role because religion is a key factor within the context of the conflict. If people sometimes say to me, you know, this is really nothing to do with religion, I will say to them it obviously is to do with religion because religion is part of the context and background within which this dispute has come about, he said. So, of course, it would help enormously, and by and large the churches do play a very positive role.”
RELATED
http://www.terrasanta.net/terrasanta/index_main.jsp
In an exclusive interview with Terrasanta.net, Tony Blair says that religious leaders should play a greater role in the peace process in the Middle East and that, under certain conditions, including Hamas and Hezbollah should be involved in the negotiations. L’inviato del Quartetto (Onu, Usa, Unione Europea e Russia) per la pace in Medio Oriente, riconosce che l’esempio di san Francesco è anche per lui fonte di ispirazione. The envoy of the Quartet (UN, U.S., European Union and Russia) for peace in the Middle East, recognizes that the example of St. Francis is also a source of inspiration for him. Osserva poi che per certi versi la pace in Terra Santa è più facile da raggiungere di quanto lo fosse quella in Irlanda del Nord. Observes that in some ways the peace in the Holy Land is easier to achieve than it was one in Northern Ireland. Blair si sofferma infine sulla possibilità di raggiungere un accordo di pace durante il mandato di un governo israeliano come quello di Benjamin Netanyahu. Blair finally focuses on the possibility of reaching a peace agreement during the tenure of a government like Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.
Terrasanta site – translated into English
Tags: Hamas, Hezbollah, Middle East peace role, Tony Blair Middle East envoy
