Blair backs Israel on non-cooperation with Hamas
The Hamas-led Palestinian government must realise the only way to get peace in the middle east is to give up terrorism and recognise the state of Israel, Tony Blair said today.
The prime minister said these conditions, in addition to a commitment to the road map towards a two-state solution, were “completely logical” and had been agreed by the international community as a precursor to any negotiations between the two.
However, he warned that unless Hamas could accept these conditions, Israel may feel they have no choice but to continue their policy of non-cooperation with the Palestinian government and take action on a unilateral basis.
He was speaking after his first meeting with Ehud Olmert in Downing Street, where the new Israeli prime minister said he was prepared to pull out of the majority of settlements in the West Bank.
Mr Olmert said negotiating was “the first priority of Israel”, and that his government was prepared to “go a long way to persuade the Palestinians that it is preferable and worthwhile to meet the basic principles of the road map which will allow us to negotiate”.
But he warned: “The point is we are prepared to pull out of most of the territories, to create a contiguous territory for the Palestinians – but instead of starting this process in accepting the basic principles, the Palestinians are terrorising the middle east.
“That is a grave mistake, a missing of a great opportunity.we want to do it in a negotiated deal, but if due to circumstances which are beyond our control it will not become possible, then there is another way as we have outlined.”
US president George Bush was cool on the issue of unilateral withdrawal, saying only that it was a “bold” plan, but today Mr Blair said he accepted that if Hamas refused to accept the processes outlined in the roadmap to peace, a “new reality” would be needed.
“If these conditions, which are completely logical, are met, then Israel is prepared on the basis of those to negotiate and to negotiate a final status settlement with the Palestinians,” the prime minister said.
But he added: “We’ve got a choice – we either put our best effort into making sure that a negotiated settlement becomes a reality or we are going to face a new reality.
“What I’m saying is that every time this issue has been in front of the international community we have failed to face up to what actually needs to be done. If we want a solution it’s there in front of us, but if we don’t face up to it there’ll be a new reality.”
The meeting came after eight civilians were killed on a Gaza beach on Friday, apparently by Israeli military fire, prompting the military wing of Hamas to end its 15-month ceasefire.
Questioned about the attacks today, Mr Olmert said he was “very sorry and very sad for this tragic event”, but insisted he would wait until the end of the investigation to see who was responsible for the deaths.
He added that “everyone knows what happens is not the policy of the government of Israel”, although Mr Blair was more circumspect, saying: “It is terrible when these things happen – [the roadmap] is the only way to stop that happening.”
