Tony Blair Allegedly Asked Palestinian Authority to Remove ‘Palestine’ From School Textbooks
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair allegedly asked the Palestinian Authority (PA) to remove references to “Palestine” from school textbooks as part of efforts linked to Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, according to former UK ambassador to the UN Jeremy Greenstock.
Greenstock told Middle East Eye that Blair was reportedly asked to pressure PA President Mahmoud Abbas, with the word “Palestine” allegedly to be replaced by the Jewish designation “Samaria.” Greenstock said Abbas rejected the request.
Blair’s spokesperson strongly denied the allegation, calling it “not true and a complete fabrication.”
Blair has been involved in efforts surrounding postwar Gaza and recently travelled to Israel and Egypt with Jared Kushner and Gaza representative Nickolay Mladenov for talks with Israeli, Palestinian and Hamas-linked figures.
Greenstock questioned whether Blair could act as a neutral intermediary because of his record on Iraq and his views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also criticised the Board of Peace, describing it as too weak to handle the difficult decisions surrounding Gaza and the future of the Palestinian territories.
The controversy comes amid broader concerns over attempts to alter or remove references to Palestine from educational and cultural materials. Greenstock also warned that Israel risks losing international soft power and argued that long-term regional stability requires political compromise rather than reliance on military force.
He further criticised US policy toward Iran, arguing that Washington underestimated Iran’s ability to use asymmetric warfare, drones and pressure on shipping and the Strait of Hormuz.
