It’s a relief to see that the Israel-Palestine problem attracting the intellect of someone like Tony Blair. Yesterday he gave an update to Parliament of his progress in saving the Middle East single-handed. The Independent’s Simon Carr reports on Blair’s Occam’s Razor-sharp insight:

“Until we get a period of calm, we won’t get a chance for sensible dialogue.” Patience, then. “We need to show what the benefits are if people have a different attitude.” He’s put his finger on it there. “Israel could do more to help.” We’d all agree with that, or mostly agree. But then again, “Hamas is using the situation to provoke the Israeli government.” And many of the rest of us would agree with that. What to do?

Who couldn’t love a job requiring so little grasp of the details, so little finesse? The beauty of it is that, on this showing, should Blair get bored or fall ill or simply get a better offer, just about anybody could step in and fill the vacancy.

I don’t know about you but I certainly don’t know anybody less knowledgeable sounding about the Middle East as it stands than Blair. And even if they were, fifteen minutes with Wikipedia would allow them to blag it.

I wonder if that’s how Blair does it. I bet he used to do his homework on the bus to school as well. Who knew the whole damn shooting match was this simple? Surely he’s told the Israelis and Palestinians?