Former British prime minister Tony Blair was reportedly asked by Palestinian Authority interlocutors to replace the word “Palestine” with “Samaria” in school textbooks, according to former senior British diplomat Jeremy Greenstock. Greenstock stated that Blair conveyed this message as a member of the US-backed “Board of Peace,” suggesting the Palestinian Authority needed to drop references to “Palestine” to be seen as a credible partner. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas allegedly flatly rejected the request, which also drew sharp criticism from Palestinian officials and commentators.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change issued a categorical denial, stating that Blair made no such request and neither conveyed nor endorsed any such proposal. The dispute remains unresolved, with neither Greenstock nor Blair’s institute providing further public detail beyond their conflicting statements.