Blair: Palestinian State ‘From The Bottom Up’

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair: Spoke Monday at 92nd Street Y.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair: Spoke Monday at 92nd Street Y.

by Tamar Snyderv

A Middle East peace agreement is possible within President Barack Obama’s term, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair told a packed crowd at the 92nd Street Y on Monday, during a discussion with The Economist’s Matthew Bishop as part of the “The Business of Giving” series.

“The Arab world today actually wants the issue [the Israeli-Palestinian conflict] resolved,” he said. “That gives us an opportunity.”

He is working largely on economic matters as representative to the Middle East peacemaking body known as the Quartet (the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.) In his role, Blair is helping the Palestinians prepare for statehood by building their institutional capacity in the West Bank. (“It’s not possible to do this in Gaza

at this time,” Blair said.) His goal is to help the Palestinians build a state “from the bottom up.”

“The only Palestinian state that Israel can accept is one that’s secure and properly governed,” Blair said. “Palestine can’t just be a description on a map; we must focus on security and the rule of law, and on developing the economy.”

Blair compared the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to the flare-ups in Northern Ireland in the 20th century. “Each side is absolutely certain of its own good faith and absolutely uncertain of the other side’s good faith.”

In addition to his work in the Middle East, Blair heads the Breaking the Climate Deadlock Initiative (a climate change policy project) and is involved in an anti-malaria campaign in Africa. He has also founded the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which promotes respect and understanding among major world religions.

Clashes that may arise in the world are “unlikely to be clashes of political ideology,” he told the audience. “There is a real danger of a clash of cultures, and religious faith plays a major part in this.”

Regarding a peace agreement in the Middle East, Blair said, “It isn’t that [the pol itical leaders] can’t find agreement on the territories or thornier issues like Jerusalem. But they won’t find agreement unless they’re sure that the on-the-ground reality will shape up to it.”

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