at risk of upsetting the anti-blair/israel feeling posted here, some points of clarification:
1.blair never condoned the bombing of innocent civilians in lebanon for the simple reason that it never happened. israeli troops, at great risk to their own lives, ensured that careful targeting of hizbollah troops minimised casualties, despite hizbollah's open and public use of civilians as human shields.
2.there certainly have been idf convictions, owing to israel being a transparent democracy. idf officers never deliberately target civilians, however. conversely, well over 1000 israeli civilians were killed indiscriminately by suicide bombers or rocket fire.
3.blair does have quite a lot of credibility within the arab world-his support of israel has led to a lot of ill-feeling within some circles but he is seen nonetheless as a strong leader, able to get things done. his support for abbas has been consistent, and blair has never wavered from his commitment to a peaceful, two-state solution.

richard v, brighton, england

at risk of upsetting the anti-blair/israel feeling posted here, some points of clarification:
1.blair never condoned the bombing of innocent civilians in lebanon for the simple reason that it never happened. israeli troops, at great risk to their own lives, ensured that careful targeting of hizbollah troops minimised casualties, despite hizbollah's open and public use of civilians as human shields.
2.there certainly have been idf convictions, owing to israel being a transparent democracy. idf officers never deliberately target civilians, however. conversely, well over 1000 israeli civilians were killed indiscriminately by suicide bombers or rocket fire.
3.blair does have quite a lot of credibility within the arab world-his support of israel has led to a lot of ill-feeling within some circles but he is seen nonetheless as a strong leader, able to get things done. his support for abbas has been consistent, and blair has never wavered from his commitment to a peaceful, two-state solution.

richard v, brighton, england

This was the most humiliating episode of the Blair era for the UK. To be openly condoning the bombing of innocent civilians. His shameful behaviour will reflect on the UK's standing in the Middle East for years to come. He will not care as long as there is money in it for him.

Roy Race, york,