The quartet of Middle East peace negotiators will meet Tuesday in Jerusalem for its first talks since the militant Hamas group took control of the Gaza Strip.
Officials Friday, confirmed that envoys from the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union will discuss the latest developments in the region. Their meeting will follow by one day a summit in Egypt between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Representatives of Egypt and Jordan also will attend that Monday meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Peace efforts are being complicated by the emergence of dual Palestinian governments, with Gaza ruled by Hamas and the West Bank governed by Mr. Abbas's Fatah group.
The United States, Israel and moderate Arab states are trying to bolster Mr. Abbas.
In New York, a United Nations spokeswoman says discussions are under way on a proposal to make outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair a special Middle East envoy. The spokeswoman said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice raised the issue Thursday in a phone call with members of the Quartet, which Mr. Blair would represent as an envoy.
Hamas took control of Gaza last week after days of intense fighting with Fatah loyalists.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
