Informed political sources described the tour of Tony Blair, the Quartet Committee Envoy, as coming at the right time as the Palestinian violence against Israel has been reduced and the Israeli government claims that it is ready to deal with the Palestinian Leadership after seven years of a deadlock in the peace process. The visit also comes amid a wave of diplomatic efforts aiming to bring the Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiations table. In Amman yesterday, the Jordanian FM said the mission of Blair is vital to the Palestinians and Israelis and the entire region. The Jordanian Minister said: We informed Blair about the Jordanian standpoint aiming to achieve peace based on restoration of the Palestinian rights and achieving a comprehensive peace through full withdrawal from the Arab and Palestinian occupied territories. The Palestinian people are living extremely difficult conditions and there is a need for a radical change on those conditions. Peace in the region requires reinforcing the Palestinian capacities to build their national institutions at all levels. After his visit to Jordan, Blair headed to Israel. He will also travel to the Palestinian lands today to meet with President Abbas. Mathew Doyle, the spokesperson of Blair, described Blair's talks in Jordan as positive and constructive. When asked if Blair will meet with Hamas officials today, Doyle said: No.

In Israel, Foreign Minister Livni said Israel views the mission of Blair as very important. She said the path towards a Palestinian state has to go through fighting terrorism and establishing a firm infrastructure for a responsible state governed by a responsible government that accepts the conditions of the Quartet Committee. In Amman, British Minister of State on Middle East Affairs Kim Howells said the mission of Blair will be extremely difficult.

In the meantime, Dr. Mahmoud Zahhar, Hamas leading figure, said Hamas is not ready to sit with a person who calls on Hamas to give up its national constants and the aspirations of the Palestinian people. Zahhar stressed: Hamas will not change its positions to please Blair. Hamas Movement affirmed that if the mission of Blair is not based on transparent honest principles and if it does not respect all parties away from double standards, then his mission will be doomed to failure and won't lead to any results. Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesperson, said it has become clear that the US Administration which supports the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people still dominates the decisions of the Quartet Committee to achieve the American interests at the expense of the potentials of the oppressed peoples in the region and such policies serve the Zionist-American scheme in the region on the basis of promoting splits and internal disagreements and overthrowing entities.

Published at Al Quds NewsPaper on July 24, 2007