PLO to declare Quartet envoy 'persona non grata'

The senior echelons of the PLO are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss a proposal to declare Quartet envoy Tony Blair "persona non grata," a UK newspaper reported Wednesday. The Telegraph said PLO officials were predicting unanimous support for a motion intended to isolate the former prime minister to such an extent that his position would become untenable. "We have been extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with Mr Blair's performance since he became envoy, but particularly in the past few weeks," a senior Palestinian official told the London-based daily. "There is no one within the Palestinian leadership that supports or likes or trusts Tony Blair, particularly because of the very damaging role he played during our UN bid," a second official was quoted as saying. "He is considered persona non grata in Palestine. Although we can't prevent him from coming here, we can hopefully minimise the role he can play because he is not a mediator, he is totally biased on one side.”