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Blair: Israel's relationship with the Gulf Arab states is 'single biggest game-changer'

In an interview with the United Synagogue's Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, former PM also cast doubt over chances of a Palestinian state

June 2, 2020 09:33
Tony Blair
2 min read

Tony Blair has described Israel's relationship with the Gulf states as the ''single biggest game changer for the Middle East'' - while also accepting that the ''Palestinian question is very difficult right now.''  

The former Labour leader said the current state of affairs was ''almost an inversion'' of the situation he faced when, as Prime Minster, he worked alongside his friend Lord Levy to try to secure a peaceful settlement to the Middle East conflict.

Speaking to Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, the Senior Rabbi of Mill Hill, in an online interview organised in partnership with the United Synagogue, Mr Blair said: ''The biggest reason for hope in the Middle East as a whole is the emerging relationship between Israel and the Arab States."

With offices both in Israel and in the Gulf, Mr Blair said he had spent the last few years working on forging this relationship, which he said was not purely a ''security relationship.''