Former British prime minister Tony Blair began his first visit to the Middle East as international envoy today, meeting Israeli leaders who promised to try to revive the long-stalled peace process with the Palestinians.
"It is time to renew the process and I'm sure that the (Israeli) prime minister will do that in the nearest future," Haim Ramon, a senior Israeli cabinet minister and vice premier, told Mr Blair in Jerusalem.
Mr Blair hopes to help bring an end to 60 years of peacemaking failure since Britain handed Palestine to Jews and Arabs who are still fighting over it. "Mission Impossible", as sceptics have dubbed Mr Blair's task for the Quartet powers, began quietly in what his spokesman called "listening mode".
"This is a critical point in time to create a turning point," Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told Mr Blair. She said the prospects for a Palestinian state depended on a serious crackdown on militants and on the Palestinian government controlling all its territory and recognising Israel's right to exist.
Mr Blair, who earlier in the day met Jordan's foreign minister, said nothing in public. On Tuesday, Blair will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah before talks in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"This is a preliminary visit to hear the views of key Israelis and Palestinians about the issues that have to be addressed in order to fulfil the demanding mandate Mr Blair has taken on," the spokesman for the new envoy said. "Mr Blair will also have the chance to hear from a number of important Arab leaders their views on the situation and consider with them how best we can jointly make progress."
Ahead of tomorrow's meeting, Israeli officials said Mr Olmert was prepared to discuss "in general terms" core issues, including borders, with Mr Abbas after insisting for months that they not be included.
Mr Olmert still believes that talk of relaunching final status negotiations remained premature for now despite mounting US pressure, the officials said.