Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will attend the Jerusalem Post conference this evening to address, among other things, the Palestinian issue, against the background of the normalization agreements signed by Israel with two Arab countries, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

In remarks recorded for the conference, Blair noted that contrary to popular belief in the past, "peace must first be established between the Arab states and Israel, and then the Palestinian issue may be included."

On the question of whether the Palestinians can be brought back to the negotiating table, Blair said: "We must try to convince a generation of Palestinian politicians that the only way to get a state is through a deep and genuine understanding between people and cultures, and not just around territorial negotiations."

Mr. Blair was also asked why many Jews had chosen to leave the Labour Party in recent years and replied, "The anti-Semitism that was in the party is a shame and a terrible thing for it."

The Jerusalem Post Conference will be broadcast tonight from 19:00 on the Jerusalem Post website.