Tony Blair was just hours out of Downing Street when he took up a new challenge. He was appointed
by the US, the UN, the EU and Russia to represent the so-called quartet in the Middle East and
to mediate the Israel-Palestinian conflict. It was always going to be an uphill battle
but in the beginning Blair looked upon the role with optimism...
"I think there is a sense of possibility at the moment. I think this is a moment of opportunity
but, for me the most important thing at the moment is to listen and to learn and to reflect.
Blair was tasked with developing the Palestinian economy, and he set about trying to turn around
a slumping tourist industry in the Holy Land...
"I have come back to Bethlehem, I'll spend the night here in Bethlehem. It is a safe
and good place to come and to visit. Israel and Palestine are safe destinations for tourists to come"
In 2008, Barack Obama was running for the Presidency in the US... but in the middle-east
Blair was making slow progress...
"The single most important thing is that the new administration, in the United States,
grips this issue from day one, and it can do so knowing that there is a foundation upon
which we can build."
In June 2010, Blair took a stand against Israeli blockades of Gaza. In May of that year, nine
people were killed when Israeli troops boarded an aid flotilla...
"We need the stopping of rockets being fired into Israel and the end of all terrorism coming
out of Gaza. Of course all of these things should be done but the fact is it's not sensible
to put in place a policy that often harms people in Gaza who have nothing whatever to
do with Hamas or the policy."
December 2010 saw the beginning of the Arab Spring. By 2011, it had spread across the
region...
"As the Arab Spring progresses, are these countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, I hope in
time Syria, are they going to find a way not just to embrace democracy in a sense of the
freedom to vote in and out your government, but freedom of expression, freedom of religion,
free media, open markets, rule of law? Are they going to be able to move to that position?
And the truth is probably the majority of people want to do it. So the questions is,
are we able to get there in support of them, not necessarily militarily but in other ways
to help them realise that objective?"
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict flared up again in the summer of 2014. In July, Blair
voiced his concern for the mounting civilian deaths in Gaza and the ongoing rockets aimed
at Israel...
"I think we need, as a matter of urgency, short term arrangements and agreements that
do allow us genuinely to de-escalate the situation to restore some form of calm, but I don't
think that will work unless the resources are put in place, some way of resolving the
longer term questions at the heart of this violence and conflict, and without that long-term
solution in place I think it's gonna be very difficult to create any short term peace."
That war continued until August 2014, but even in the new year Blair was no closer to
solution for the region...
"I think the place to start with peace is actually Gaza because if we are able to change
the situation in Gaza politically and economically then I think we are able to do a lot of change
in the whole of the politics of this conflict."
Tony Blair leaves this role having made little progress in resolving what is undoubtedly
a very difficult situation to mediate. His time as Special Envoy has been plagued by
controversy, his very appointment a matter of great contention. Today, relations between
the two sides in the conflict are at rock bottom... The peace process has stalled and
in Blair's own words "there is still no tangible political horizon in sight".