Peace envoy Blair in Mideast plea

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Mr Blair, who arrived in Israel on Monday, said he had come "to listen, learn and reflect" during two days of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. But already, he said he sensed a willingness by the sides to make progress.

"I think there is a sense of possibility, but whether that sense of possibility can be translated into something, that is something that needs to be worked at and thought about over time," Mr Blair said after meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem.

Mr Blair is in the region as the new envoy for the "Quartet" of Mideast mediators - the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia. He is charged with laying the foundations for a future independent Palestinian state.

Mr Blair's first test will be the success of a Mideast peace summit, expected in the autumn, announced by US President George Bush last week.

Mr Blair told Israeli officials that a Mideast peace summit must bring substantive results, and not just be a public relations event, Israeli officials said on Tuesday.

Mr Peres, a Nobel peace laureate, promised to use his largely ceremonial post to support Mr Blair.

"Your success is our success. Your dreams are our dreams," he said after their meeting. "I feel this is a serious window of opportunity for peace, but the duration is not too long. We will have to help you."

The envoy was due to meet separately later on Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Israeli officials who have spoken with Mr Blair said he wants to learn the positions of the two sides before setting down a real working plan. Blair does not want to impose anything on either side but expects real progress, they said.