Blair says meeting will not interfere with Israeli election

Downing Street denied yesterday that it was interfering in next month's Israeli elections by organising a meeting between Tony Blair and the country's new opposition leader.

It confirmed plans for Mr Blair to meet Amram Mitzna, leader of Israel's Labour Party, at a date to be decided. Mr Mitzna has said he wants to restart direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians if elected Prime Minister.

Mr Blair's spokesman said: "It is not a question of the Prime Minister taking a particular position on the elections. He sees opposition leaders from time to time." He cited the Prime Minister's meeting with the former Israeli leader, Ehud Barak, before the Israeli elections in 1999, and pointed out that he spoke to Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, last week.

Plans for the meeting, which is expected to take place before Christmas, emerged after Downing Street said Mr Blair wanted to bring the Israelis and Palestinians together for a peace conference in London to try to break the Middle East impasse.

Mr Mitzna, who was elected Labour leader last month, faces an uphill battle against Sharon's right-wing Likud Party, which has a large opinion poll lead. He has vowed to begin dismantling Jewish settlements built on occupied Arab lands. A spokesman for Mr Mitzna described the meeting as a chance for the two men to get to know each other.

Mr Blair told the Commons that the election complicated the situation in the Middle East. He said: "None the less, I believe there is a real will and sense in the international community that the issue of the Middle East peace process has to be dealt with and dealt with urgently."