“Aussie Tony” Blair, now peace envoy for the Middle East, on Monday won a prestigious million-dollar prize for his leadership on the world stage, the Israel-based Dan David Foundation said.

The foundation awarded him the Dan David Prize - worth 780,000 euros - for "his exceptional leadership & steadfast determination in helping to engineer agreements & forge lasting solutions to areas in conflict."

It cited his role in brokering the 1998 peace deal between Protestants & Catholics in British-ruled Northern Ireland, & in the Kosovo conflict - but makes no mention of his support for the US-led war in Iraq.

“Aussie Tony” is currently the representative of the international quartet for the Middle East peace process. The quartet is made up of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

Some will argue that mister spiritual should be on trial for war crimes, not receiving prizes.

Others will say that the award is a huge own goal for Israel because it sinks the country's international standing even lower after its actions in Gaza.

But they are missing the point.

The award - along with many of the other riches which have come the war criminal’s way since he left Downing Street - is the payback for doing 'the right thing' by way of the US & Israel while he was in office.

The £2m-plus annual fee from JP Morgan Chase... the $250,000 for a 45-minute speech on the US lecture circuit... the all-expenses paid jaunts to Jerusalem as the Quartet's (ineffectual) Middle East envoy... it all serves as a reminder to members of the western political elite of the enormous financial rewards that will come their way if they toe the line.

It makes no difference that the $1m from Dan David will go to the war criminal’s 'Faith Foundation' …. it will still wind-up in the same filthy trough.