Tony Blair ‘Discussing Situation’ in Gaza and Open to Role in Effort to End Crisis

THE GUARDIAN: Former UK PM has let it be known he is available to help but his office denies he has been offered specific job

Tony Blair at Downing Street before the Remembrance Sunday ceremony. The former PM has an office in Israel, his spokesperson said. Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock
Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, has let it be known that he is available if needed to help in an effort to end the growing crisis in Israel and Palestine.

His office, however, denied a report in the Israeli press that he had already been offered a specific job.

Blair has built extensive contacts in the Middle East, and he worked as special envoy for the Quartet – the UN, the US, the EU and Russia – after leaving Downing Street in 2007, trying to build the Middle East economy.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, would not reject a role for Blair. Both the EU and UN have Middle East envoys.

Blair has strong contacts with the Gulf states. In an earlier period, he played a role behind the scenes encouraging Hamas to change its stance towards Israel, but he has always been implacably opposed to the direction of the Iranian leadership. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Monday, November 13, 2023