Middle East becomes next job for ex-prime minister
JERUSALEM — In his new job as Mideast envoy, Tony Blair will take on a task that has bedeviled many before him — a role complicated by Hamas' takeover of Gaza, the weakness of Palestinian and Israeli leaders, and animosity deepened on both sides by six years of conflict.
Still, the outgoing British prime minister brings new credibility to international efforts to forge peace in the region, and Israeli and Palestinian officials welcomed reports Tuesday that he will represent the Quartet of Mideast mediators — the U.S., U.N., European Union and Russia.
The official announcement of the Quartet's decision was to be made today, a senior U.S. official said. The official, who insisted on anonymity because the statements were still being drafted, spoke after being briefed on a meeting of Quartet representatives in Jerusalem.
Blair's appointment is the latest step in a burst of diplomacy following the seizure of the Gaza Strip by the Islamic militants of Hamas, adding a high-profile world leader to efforts to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and restart Israel-Palestinian peace talks.
Brokering peace in Northern Ireland is counted as one of Blair's most significant diplomatic achievements.
