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| Mid-East Quartet meet amid crisis | Mid-East Quartet meet amid crisis |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Quartet of Middle East mediators is meeting in Jerusalem to assess the situation in the region, for the first time since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip. | The Quartet of Middle East mediators is meeting in Jerusalem to assess the situation in the region, for the first time since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip. |
| The Quartet - the EU, Russia, the UN and the US - will also discuss making outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair its envoy to the region. | The Quartet - the EU, Russia, the UN and the US - will also discuss making outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair its envoy to the region. |
| The meeting comes as Hamas said it was ready to talk to its Fatah rivals. | The meeting comes as Hamas said it was ready to talk to its Fatah rivals. |
| Separately, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said he would ask his government to release 250 jailed Fatah members. | |
| Mr Olmert was speaking at a summit in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh that was also attended by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Jordan. | |
| The summit was aimed at boosting Mr Abbas and his moderate Fatah movement and isolating his Islamist rivals from Hamas, after their takeover of Gaza nearly two weeks ago. | The summit was aimed at boosting Mr Abbas and his moderate Fatah movement and isolating his Islamist rivals from Hamas, after their takeover of Gaza nearly two weeks ago. |
| The efforts to strengthen Mr Abbas's position are continuing on Tuesday with talks between President Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. | The efforts to strengthen Mr Abbas's position are continuing on Tuesday with talks between President Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. |
| Controversial figure | Controversial figure |
| The Quartet officials will try to reach agreement on Mr Blair's possible future role as the group's Middle East envoy, the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says. | The Quartet officials will try to reach agreement on Mr Blair's possible future role as the group's Middle East envoy, the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says. |
| Tony Blair steps down as UK prime minister on 27 June | Tony Blair steps down as UK prime minister on 27 June |
| They will attempt to agree exactly what the scope of this job should be, and how in practice it should work, our correspondent says. | They will attempt to agree exactly what the scope of this job should be, and how in practice it should work, our correspondent says. |
| The Bush administration has already signalled its desire for an expanded role for Mr Blair. | The Bush administration has already signalled its desire for an expanded role for Mr Blair. |
| The Russians have been cooler, but diplomats say they do not expect Russia to block his appointment, our correspondent says. | The Russians have been cooler, but diplomats say they do not expect Russia to block his appointment, our correspondent says. |
| Mr Blair has said several times that he is committed to advancing peace between Israel and the Palestinians. | Mr Blair has said several times that he is committed to advancing peace between Israel and the Palestinians. |
| He is a controversial figure in the Middle East, our correspondent says. | He is a controversial figure in the Middle East, our correspondent says. |
| He says that Israeli officials enthuse about Mr Blair's status and experience, while Palestinians are far more sceptical as to whether he would be able to make any lasting difference. | He says that Israeli officials enthuse about Mr Blair's status and experience, while Palestinians are far more sceptical as to whether he would be able to make any lasting difference. |
| Hamas offer | Hamas offer |
| On Sunday, former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas said his group was ready to talk to its Fatah rivals. | On Sunday, former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas said his group was ready to talk to its Fatah rivals. |
| A spokesman for Mr Haniya in Gaza said Hamas was "disposed to immediately take up this dialogue" urged by Mr Mubarak. | A spokesman for Mr Haniya in Gaza said Hamas was "disposed to immediately take up this dialogue" urged by Mr Mubarak. |
| Mr Haniya was reacting to a call from President Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh for a resumption of dialogue between the two Palestinian factions. | Mr Haniya was reacting to a call from President Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh for a resumption of dialogue between the two Palestinian factions. |
| In a separate development, Mr Olmert told the gathering: "As a gesture of goodwill towards the Palestinians, I will bring before the Israeli cabinet a proposal to free 250 Fatah prisoners who do not have blood on their hands." | In a separate development, Mr Olmert told the gathering: "As a gesture of goodwill towards the Palestinians, I will bring before the Israeli cabinet a proposal to free 250 Fatah prisoners who do not have blood on their hands." |
| He added that those freed would have to sign a commitment not to return to violence. | He added that those freed would have to sign a commitment not to return to violence. |
| About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge. | About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge. |
| For his part, Mr Abbas urged Israel to "start serious political negotiations, according to an agreed timeframe, with the aim of setting up an independent Palestinian state". | For his part, Mr Abbas urged Israel to "start serious political negotiations, according to an agreed timeframe, with the aim of setting up an independent Palestinian state". |