Time is running out for the Middle East process, which faces collapse if there's no movement soon, former Biritsh PM Tony Blair said on Wednesday.
"The window of opportunity will be open for only a short space of time," he said, speaking in Jerusalem at the 2013 Presidential Conference, hosted by Israel's President Shimon Peres.
"Let's hope that over the coming weeks a plan can be put in place in which politics, economics and security are aligned. With [US] Secretary [of State] John Kerry's fantastic energy and commitment, we're all working hard to accomplish this," Blair told delegates.
John Kerry has visited the region four times since taking office and recently announced an economic development plan for the West Bank. He's desperate to bring Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for peace negotiations, which have remained elusive since the 2010 talks ended in a stalemate.
"But we should understand, the window of opportunity will be open for only a short space of time. We must go through it together. If not the window will close again and could even close forever," Blair warned.
"Time is not our friend. This is urgent. This is now. And it is a time for statesman, not politicians."
