Tony Blair Makes Understatement of the Century

At first I thought it a Joke...but it its all there in Black and Blue on his official website. In an interview with Al Jazeera, British Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledged some not helpful signals from Hamas about the "peace process" Not helpful signals!!!!????? I wonder which signals he is talking about....is it the hundreds of missiles fired at Israel over the last few weeks, maybe he was talking about all of the mortars ? Or the fact that Hamas has never wavered in saying their ultimate purpose was to destroy Israel? Not helpful signals!!!!????? Where have you been? If you were trying to make some sort of intelligent point, guess what? YOU MISSED !!!

PM hopes for progress with Hamas

The Prime Minister has acknowledged some "not unhelpful" signals from Hamas over the way forward in the Middle East peace process.

In an interview with Arabic news channel Al Jazeera, Mr Blair said that he understood the "concern and anxiety" within the Muslim world over the issue of Palestine. The situation could be overcome only through a "negotiated settlement between Israel and Palestine", he said.

Mr Blair stressed that while he "totally recognised" the legitimacy of the Hamas election victory, it was paramount that the party accept a two state solution.

"The problem is how do we negotiate with Hamas if they say Israel hasn't the right to exist? Some of the signs coming out of Hamas are not unhelpful, but we need to know where they really are."

Asked about Iraq and Afghanistan, the Prime Minister denied that military action was the result of an anti-Muslim agenda. Defending the UK's record on inter-faith relations, Mr Blair said that Muslims "probably have a lot more freedom" than in other parts of the world that are themselves predominantly Muslim.

The regimes of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein had caused oppression and suffering among their own populations, he said.

"In Iraq and Afghanistan we removed two absolutely brutal dictators, we gave people a chance to vote."

Mr Blair also said that there was a "partnership" available to Iran over nuclear energy and called upon Tehran to adhere to its "international obligations".

Dialogue over the issue was the right option rather than military intervention, he added.

"People want a good relationship with Iran, no-one wants military action against Iran, but it is important that we make sure we resolve those issues that are outstanding with the international community."

The Prime Minister met Al Jazeera on Monday, the day he attended a conference on "Islam and Muslims in the world today" with a number of international Muslim leaders.