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Blair to meet Palestinian leader Blair to meet Palestinian leader
(about 3 hours later)
Tony Blair is to meet the president of the Palestinian Authority on the second day of his visit to the Middle East.Tony Blair is to meet the president of the Palestinian Authority on the second day of his visit to the Middle East.
The prime minister's meeting with Mahmoud Abbas comes a day after he met the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.The prime minister's meeting with Mahmoud Abbas comes a day after he met the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Mr Olmert has said he is ready to meet the Palestinian leader to advance peace efforts. It follows Mr Abbas's calls for fresh negotiations with Israel. Mr Olmert said he was ready to meet the Palestinian leader to advance peace efforts. It follows Mr Abbas's calls for fresh negotiations with Israel.
Mr Blair will not be meeting the leaders of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government.Mr Blair will not be meeting the leaders of the Hamas-controlled Palestinian government.
Britain, like the rest of the EU, is boycotting the Hamas administration.Britain, like the rest of the EU, is boycotting the Hamas administration.
It insists the administration recognises Israel's right to exist before there can be any dialogue. The prime minister's visit to the Middle East comes amid the continuing row over when he leaves office.
However, Hamas argues the real problem has been Mr Blair's attachment to the US, which it says views the Middle East from Israel's perspective. There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians BBC correspondent Alan Johnston href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5331590.stm" class="">Brown offers challenge to critics
BBC News correspondent Alan Johnston said Mr Abbas's camp would "welcome Mr Blair's efforts to re-energise the peace process". Mr Blair said the stability of the Middle East was essential to the rest of the world, including the UK.
Speaking of the recent Lebanon conflict, Mr Blair said he wanted to work to make sure the UN resolution which ended the conflict was fully implemented.
Mr Olmert said he was ready to begin talks with Mr Abbas to advance peace efforts.
The EU has insisted Hamas recognises Israel's right to exist before there can be any dialogue with the administration.
But Hamas argues the real problem has been Mr Blair's attachment to the US, which it says views the Middle East from Israel's perspective.
BBC news correspondent Alan Johnston said Mr Abbas's camp would "welcome Mr Blair's efforts to re-energise the peace process".
But he added: "There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians.But he added: "There is a widespread contempt for Mr Blair among Palestinians.
"They regard him as having done virtually nothing to support their efforts to end the Israeli occupation here.""They regard him as having done virtually nothing to support their efforts to end the Israeli occupation here."