Tony Blair’s peace mission in the Middle East is doomed because he is not prepared to confront the Israelis, Palestinian business and political leaders said yesterday.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, the chief Palestinian negotiator, gave Mr Blair’s mission to revive the West Bank’s economy a “5 per cent chance” unless he was prepared to talk tough to Israel over loosening restrictions on freedom of movement.
But Palestinian businessmen who have worked closely with Mr Blair say that he is “running away” from such confrontations for fear of ending up like his humiliated predecessor. Mr Blair was appointed Middle East Quartet envoy in July, replacing James Wolfensohn, who resigned in frustration at Israeli obstacles to his efforts to revive the Palestinian economy.
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