Palestinian Authority sources accused Quartet envoy Tony Blair of “acting like an Israeli diplomat, not an international peacemaker,” in his attempts to pressure PA chief Mahmoud Abbas to change his mind about presenting the UN Security Council with a request to recognize an Arab state he plans to declare in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. According to the sources, Blair offered to raise the status of the current PA delegation at the UN, and allow them full access to membership in international institutions like the World Bank, UNESCO, and the International Monetary Fund. However, the PA would still not be able to sue Israel in international courts as a state – one of the specific objectives of the PA, according to its officials.
The sources also insulted U.S. officials Dennis Ross and David Hale, accusing them of “undiplomatic behavior.”