it’s crocodile-feeding time

Tony Blair utters the famous “b” word:

“I have always been a supporter of the state of Israel and I will always remain so,” Blair said.

“But for the sake of Israel, as well as all we want to achieve in the Middle East, we need a proper, well-functioning independent and viable state of Palestine.”

The word is “and,” Tony, not “but.”

You have always been a supporter of Israel and we need a Palestinian state. What kind of state are you willing to offer, and at what price?

As for the crocodile reference, well you have to go back to October 2001 and Ariel Sharon to get it (or to Winston Churchill before that ***):

We are currently in the midst of a complex and difficult diplomatic campaign, I call on the Western democracies, and primarily the leaderof the Free World - the United States:

Do not repeat the dreadful mistake of 1938, when enlightened European democracies decided to sacrifice Czechoslovakia for a ‘convienient temporary solution’.

Do not try to appease the Arabs at our expense - this is unacceptable to us.

Israel will not be Czechoslovakia.

Israel will fight terrorism.

There is no ‘good terrorism’ and ‘bad terrorism’, just as there is no’good murder’ and ‘bad murder’. Terrorism, as we witnessed this weekin Alei Sinai, is worse than murder.

We have been fighting terrorism for over 100 years. Unfortunately,there are no swift and immediate solutions. But if, united we confront this terrorism, we will be able to overcome it and bring peace.

And we shall overcome.

Well, maybe. But not in Sharon’s lifetime. Or mine, I’m afraid.

———-

*** Churchill said:

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last