Tony Blair should be “begging for forgiveness” instead of taking on new humanitarian roles, Peter Hitchens has fumed.
The former Prime Minister has been backed as a potential peacekeeper in the Middle East as the war between Israel and Hamas rages on.
Conservative author Peter Hitchens lambasted such an idea during a discussion on GB News’ Dewbs & Co, where he said Blair’s history with conflict should be enough reason to dissuade any potential suitors.
Speaking to Michelle Dewberry, he urged the former Prime Minister to “stay silent forever”.
Peter Hitchens has blasted Tony Blair's potential involvement in the Israel-Hamas war
GETTY / GB NEWS
“He should be entering a Trappist monastery where he vows never to say another word again for the rest of his life and spends the rest of his time begging for forgiveness”, he said.
“I don’t see how somebody who made such a mess of his main foreign policy adventure should be taken seriously ever again, or should be asked for his advice or should be treated as an important player in any of these matters.
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Tony Blair and George W. Bush led the efforts against IraqPA“Time for him to fall silent for good.
“The Middle East is littered with corpses and columns of refugees still walk across it thanks to the war that he and George W Bush created.
“There is nothing further for him to be said by him or about him. He did a terrible thing and he should be sorry for it.
“He should be sorry for it somewhere else and in silence. The same goes for his propaganda chief Alastair Campbell.”
It comes after reports that Tony Blair would be “open” to a humanitarian role in Gaza, something his institute has since denied.
Reports in Israel claimed that the country’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sounding out Blair for the role of “humanitarian co-ordinator” in Gaza.
He has previously worked as international envoy to the Middle East.
Speaking on the possibility of a role, a spokeswoman for Blair said: “As you know, Mr Blair has an office in Israel and has continued to work on issues regarding Israel and the Palestinians.”
“He is discussing the situation obviously with a number of people in the region and elsewhere to see what can be done. But there is no ‘role’ offered or taken.”
Blair remains a controversial figure in Britain because of his decision to take the UK to war in Iraq in 2003.