Israel says it will back Blair peace conference

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Israel threw its weight yesterday behind Tony Blair's plans to hold an international Middle East conference in London in February, but left open the question of whether it would participate.

Using words that will delight the Prime Minister before his trip to Israel and the West Bank next week, Dov Weissglass, the senior aide to Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, said the conference "is without doubt the most significant development in the near future".

But there was confusion in Jerusalem over whether an Israeli delegation would attend. Officials said the country had accepted an invitation, at one point suggesting that Mr Sharon would fly to London, but then retracted.

Raanan Gissin, Mr Sharon's spokesman, was studiously ambiguous last night. "We support this conference, which is intended to support the new Palestinian leadership rather than trying to impose a solution on Israel," he said.

"The question of our participation is secondary. If there is something we can contribute we will participate. If our participation will hinder the agenda, we are not going to be there."

The issue is bound up with Israel's complex internal politics after the collapse of Mr Sharon's centre-Right coalition.

It is possible, following the death of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, that the Israeli government is preparing public opinion for the idea of attending the conference before making a formal announcement.

Israel is averse to international conferences because it feels it would come under concerted pressure to make territorial concessions.

Britain is trying to assuage its fears. The agenda would avoid the intractable issues of a permanent peace agreement and would focus on the more immediate question of what happens after Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, which is planned for next year.

Mr Blair wants the conference to give tangible form to his declared aim of making Middle East peace his highest foreign-policy commitment. British officials believe it would also serve to give political and economic support to the new Palestinian leadership after the Jan 9 elections.

Mr Sharon, addressing an academic conference in Herzliya, said the death of Mr Arafat had created the chance for "an historic breakthrough" in relations with Palestinians.

"We stand before a unique window of opportunity. Who knows when we will have this opportunity in the future," he said.

Telegraph