Several Palestinian public institutions, political factions and figures on Monday declared British Prime Minister Tony Blair persona non grata in Ramallah, saying his planned visit to the city was a "provocation against the feelings of the Palestinian people." In a statement distributed in Ramallah, they said that Blair, who is expected to visit the region later this week, was "completely unwelcome in our country because he was coming to wash the hands that are dripping Lebanese blood with Palestinian water." | “... saying his planned visit to the city was a 'provocation against the feelings of the Palestinian people.'” |
"Blair's main task is to appear as a peace-maker to stave off sharp criticism in his country and around the world following his refusal to support a cease-fire initiative in Lebanon," the statement added. "He wanted to give Israel's army generals enough time to complete their destructive mission."
According to the authors of the statement, Blair is also "seeking to appease the Arabs and Muslims in light of his biased policies in favor of Israel and his backing for the American adventures. He's trying to create the impression that he is making peaceful efforts to find a solution to the Palestinian cause."