Israel Matzav

What Tony Blair and Jenny Tonge have in common

Former British Prime Minister and current 'quartet' envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair came out with a piece of blatant hypocrisy yesterday even by the standards of crooked politicians.

Quartet envoy Tony Blair conceded Wednesday that if he were Israeli he would hesitate to support further withdrawals following the “nightmare” of Disengagement. He’s not, though – so he is calling for just that.

The former British prime minister addressed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, where he proceeded to dismiss security concerns and declare that Israel “must continue with the peace process despite security concerns.”

"I understand and sympathize with the problems that the [Israelis] are having,” Blair said. “For people on the outside it is hard to understand, [but] today I understand more than when I was the prime minister the difficulties here."

Blair, who now represents the US, UN, EU and Russia – known as the ‘Quartet’ - told the MKs that the PA officials were even more nervous about the risks entailed in the political process, than the Israeli MKs, themselves.

MK Limor Livnat asked Blair to explain why Fatah Chief and PA President Mahmoud Abbas refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Blair declined to offer and answer.

There's a precedent for this in Britain, but I don't think it's one Blair would appreciate: Jenny Tonge.

A British parliamentarian has caused a furor by saying she would consider becoming a suicide bomber if she were a Palestinian living in the occupied territories.

Jenny Tonge, an MP for the Liberal Democrats and the party's former spokeswoman on international development, made the comments during a speech in front of a pro-Palestinian group Wednesday night.

"This particular brand of terrorism, the suicide bomber, is truly born out of desperation," she said.

"Many, many people criticize; many, many people say it is just another form of terrorism, but I can understand and I am a fairly emotional person and I am a mother and a grandmother," she said.

"I think if I had to live in that situation, and I say this advisedly, I might just consider becoming one myself. And that is a terrible thing to say," she said.

Tonge's remarks were made in 2004.

Maybe Blair should look around at the company he's keeping. He's not in a position to be Neville Chamberlain anymore and most people in this country are tired of playing the role of Czechoslovakia.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:12 PM