Love Thy Neighbour

The transfiguration of Tony Blair seems to have proceeded according to schedule. His official role, as a major contributor to the present states of Iraq and Afghanistan, is "to help create viable and lasting government institutions representing all Palestinians" except those with whom the Righteous State and its Washington sponsor disagree; and to provide "a robust economy, and a climate of law and order for the Palestinian people". I don't know what Tony intends to do about imposing his idea of a robust economy on the Palestinians, though it might be fun watching him try to privatise the intifada; but the law-and-order agenda should be simple enough. Tony knows all about locking people up, and no doubt the Israeli Security Fence will provide him with a useful foundation for the further enlightenment and freedomisation of his little brown flock.

The Righteous State is being its usual helpful self, with a spokesbeing for Olmert bar Sharon ruling out a priori any discussion of "the three core issues of borders, refugees and Jerusalem", viz. those issues which are the cause of all the trouble. Meanwhile, George W Bush has responded to his reverence's humble request for negotiations by calling for an international conference open to representatives of nations which "support a two-state solution and reject violence". Since this proviso eliminates, at a stroke, Israel, Hamas, Fatah, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Hizbullah, the United Kingdom and the United States, presumably someone is jesting. White House watchers may find it intriguing to ponder who; although not particularly tasteful, the joke is subtle enough to have originated with someone whose knuckles leave the ground occasionally. Perhaps it was Condi Rice, who "will join Mr Blair in Lisbon today", and will no doubt get along with him famously.