By AFP,
Jerusalem : Britain’s Gordon Brown prepared for talks on Sunday during his first visit to Israel and the West Bank since becoming prime minister in a bid to bolster peace negotiations and economic development.
Brown was to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an attempt to revitalise the sluggish peace process between the two sides and push his “economic roadmap” to peace via giving Palestinians a financial stake in the territories’ future.
He has been invited to address the Israeli parliament on Monday — the first time a British premier will have spoken to the Knesset. Brown flew in to Tel Aviv late Saturday on a previously unannounced visit, having made a surprise trip to Baghdad and Basra in southern Iraq earlier in the day.
Brown was due to speak to Israel’s President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, plus their Palestinian counterparts Mahmud Abbas and Salam Fayyad on Sunday “to discuss the way forward on the peace process and economic reconstruction and development,” the premier’s spokesman Michael Ellam told reporters.
“On Monday he will become the first British prime minister to address the Israeli parliament,” he added.
Brown will also meet with senior Israeli ministers and opposition figures during his trip. Brown — who spent 10 years as finance minister under Tony Blair, whom he succeeded as premier in June 2007 — is keen to discuss boosting growth in the Palestinian Territories and financial incentives for stamping out militants.
Last September, he set out an “economic roadmap” for peace in the Middle East, in which he said it was his “strong personal belief” that kick-starting growth in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip was crucial to establishing peace.
“By giving ordinary Palestinians an economic stake in their future, we support the forces of peace and moderation,” he said.
The report identified five building blocks: reducing public expenditure, a more stable relationship between the Palestinian and Israeli economies, a balance between short-term security and movement and access, diversification of trade links, and an enhanced investment climate.
Britain has already pledged to provide almost 500 million dollars (315 million euros) to help build the Palestinian economy and Brown may pledge more during his trip.
His predecessor Blair is now the Middle East Quartet’s envoy, representing the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States in efforts to advance peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The two — whose relationship soured over the years — will not meet during the visit. Brown reiterated last month that he saw the main issue preventing greater stability in the wider Middle East as being the lack of a deal giving Israel security and the Palestinians a viable state.
The US-sponsored talks between the two sides in Annapolis, Maryland in late November 2007, were aimed at resolving the conflict before US President George W. Bush leaves office next January.
However, no concrete progress has yet been announced, and outside Israel, many fear that Olmert’s deepening political troubles in corruption probes could scupper the slow-moving peace talks.
Brown will be keen to find out what progress the two sides will be able to make towards achieving a landmark settlement. Brown and Olmert met in London on October 23, when the 57-year-old Scot backed his counterpart’s push for tougher sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
Last week he reiterated his “distaste and outrage” at Iranian threats towards Israel. He is expected to hammer out a tough line on Tehran while in Jerusalem.
Abbas, who held talks with Brown in London last December, praised Britain’s funding pledge, saying the British premier played a “pivotal role in the region” and his personal involvement was a “source of power” for Palestinians.