The Israeli press has taken an interest in the hospitality apparently being shown to the Quartet's Middle East envoy Tony Blair by local businesswoman Ofra Strauss. The glamorous divorcee chairs the Strauss group, Israel's second largest food manufacturer whose products include Elite chocolates.
According to Liora, the Maariv newspaper's gossip column, it gets calls from Mrs Strauss's neighbours whenever there is "a festive event" in Mr Blair's honour. "Which happens not infrequently," Liora commented.