LONDON -- As the death toll in Gaza mounts, the conflict is causing some collateral damage in an unforeseen area: the reputation of former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair as an international statesman. During his 10 years as Britain's prime minister, Mr. Blair played a prominent role in events ranging from the Northern Ireland peace process to the Iraq war. Now, though, as Middle East envoy for the Quartet group of the United Nations, the U.S., the European Union and Russia, he is finding himself marginalized while another European statesman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, garners the headlines as a joint sponsor with Egypt of a cease-fire proposal.Tony Blair in Cairo Monday in his role as envoy for the Quartet group.Mr. Blair, charged with developing the economies of the West Bank and Gaza, has faced an uphill battle since his appointment in June 2007. Because of security concerns, he hasn't visited Gaza but has focused on negotiating with Israeli and West Bank officials on issues such as removing roadblocks in the Palestinian territories. Meanwhile, the economies of the territories have declined, leading many to question his effectiveness. "If I am honest, I would say that his mission was a failure," says Mustafa Barghouti, a moderate member of the Palestinian parliament and a former minister. "In the West Bank ... he is irrelevant." Mr. Barghouti says that when Mr. Blair started his job, there were 521 Israeli checkpoints, and now there are 699. Making progress toward peace in the Middle East was "unfinished business ... which he thought he would be able to round off," says Anthony Seldon, a biographer of Mr. Blair and political historian. "But he overestimated the ability of political leaders out of office to effect change."
LONDON -- As the death toll in Gaza mounts, the conflict is causing some collateral damage in an unforeseen area: the reputation of former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair as an international statesman.
During his 10 years as Britain's prime minister, Mr. Blair played a prominent role in events ranging from the Northern Ireland peace process to the Iraq war. Now, though, as Middle East envoy for the Quartet group of the United Nations, the U.S., the European Union and Russia, he is finding himself marginalized while another European statesman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, garners the headlines as a joint sponsor with Egypt of a cease-fire proposal.
Tony Blair in Cairo Monday in his role as envoy for the Quartet group.
Mr. Blair, charged with developing the economies of the West Bank and Gaza, has faced an uphill battle since his appointment in June 2007. Because of security concerns, he hasn't visited Gaza but has focused on negotiating with Israeli and West Bank officials on issues such as removing roadblocks in the Palestinian territories. Meanwhile, the economies of the territories have declined, leading many to question his effectiveness.
"If I am honest, I would say that his mission was a failure," says Mustafa Barghouti, a moderate member of the Palestinian parliament and a former minister. "In the West Bank ... he is irrelevant." Mr. Barghouti says that when Mr. Blair started his job, there were 521 Israeli checkpoints, and now there are 699.
Making progress toward peace in the Middle East was "unfinished business ... which he thought he would be able to round off," says Anthony Seldon, a biographer of Mr. Blair and political historian. "But he overestimated the ability of political leaders out of office to effect change."
