Dr. James Zogby

Watch Tony Blair's Interview with Dr. Zogby

Posted on Monday May 18, 2009

On May 14, 2009 Dr. James Zogby sat with Former British Prime Minister and current Middle East Quartet Envoy Tony Blair to discuss the prospects for Palestinian-Israeli peace. Mr. Blair described President Obama’s genuine interest in achieving a two-state solution as an enormously important starting point.

Mr. Blair talked about the importance of words supporting actions in these political negotiations. “What the Palestinians worry about is being drawn into a long negotiation and meanwhile, whatever the negotiation is saying on the ground, action is being taken by Israel that contradicts it,” he said.

The envoy believes that the Palestinians are prepared to negotiate a two-state solution, but described settlement expansion as a threat to achieving peace. “If settlements carry on being expanded then the worry is that an independent and viable [Palestinian] state will be an impossibility,” Mr. Blair said. He said that the basic element of statehood, that Palestinians to have control over their own territory, is an imperative on the road to peace.

Touching on the dire situation in the Gaza Strip, Mr. Blair emphasized on the need to help improve the conditions of the people living there.

When asked about what he had learned from the Irish peace process that can be applied to Palestine, Mr. Blair offered two suggestions: the need to remain focused on the issue, and attention to detail. “In the end, we did the deal in Northern Ireland,” he said. “Maybe that’s a hopeful sign for the coming interaction with the new Israeli government.”

Also on this week’s show: Abdul Malik Al-Jaber, Chairman, PalTel Group Foundation; Michael Isikoff, Newsweek Magazine; Abraham Lowenthal, Pacific Council on International Policy. Watch these segments below.