BICOM

Quartet envoy Tony Blair is involved in intensive talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on putting together a package of economic gestures to keep the Palestinians engaged in exploratory talks with Israel in Jordan. Blair has met at least five times with Netanyahu over the past two weeks, including twice on Wednesday, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.

‘A package is being worked on,’ one official in the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed to the Post. ‘The idea is not for Israeli unilateral confidence-building measures. Rather, we are ready [to act] within the framework of a peace process that is working for mutual confidence measures. We are looking at options and are preparing a package.’  The official added that the matters under consideration ‘are primarily economic issues.’

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met in Jordan on five occasions last month. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to decide whether to continue exploratory talks in Amman this weekend when he meets with Arab League Foreign Ministers.