Tony Blair, persona non grata in Ramallah

The Palestinians seem keen on burying themselves deep in the muck while constantly proclaiming themselves holier-than-we.

First there was the disgraceful kidnapping and forced coversion to Islam of the Fox News journalists and the shameful inaction by Hamas to alleviate the situation—which prompted outcries from unusual places (deep in Palestine) and threatened the Palestinians with the marginalization of their cause (which journalists can’t cover if they’re under threat).

And now an unnamed faction in the West Bank cuts off Tony Blair at the knees:

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.”

Notice the allusion to the purity of the Palestinian cause.

I will be curious to see how Blair addresses this flaming hot potato. Will he wear a hair shirt? Stay tuned.