Schism Eyed By Blair In Mideast

UNITED NATIONS — International hopes for renewed Israeli-Fatah negotiations grew yesterday with reports that Prime Minister Blair was set to assume leadership over long-stalled diplomacy, but in newly released tapes, Hamas publicly paraded Israeli and British hostages, signaling to all sides that it would not be ignored.

In addition, Hamas unexpectedly received the endorsement of a top Al Qaeda leader, which created a sharp contrast to the backing of Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas by America, Europe, Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. It is within this growing schism that Mr. Blair would have to operate if he hopes to inch diplomacy along, according to several diplomats and U.N. officials. An audio message recorded in Hebrew by an Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, was broadcast on a Hamas-owned television station yesterday, becoming the first time his voice was publicly heard since his kidnapping took place near Gaza exactly a year ago.

A video recording of a kidnapped British citizen, Alan Johnston, was released as well, showing the BBC reporter wearing what he said was an explosives belt, and appealing to Britain to make an effort to secure his release peacefully.

Meanwhile, according to U.N. and British officials, Mr. Blair, who is set to leave his No. 10 Downing Street office tomorrow, is enthusiastic about the prospect of becoming, as early as today, the top envoy of the focus group known as the Middle East quartet. The group includes America, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia. But even as one published report declared that Mr. Blair's appointment had already been approved by all the Quartet principles, and would be announced in Jerusalem today, Russia remained undecided yesterday as to whether it would endorse the appointment, the officials said.

Mr. Blair "was the one who initiated this," a U.N.-based diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity said yesterday. "He was the one who first came" to President Bush "with the idea of assuming the leadership of the quartet." The diplomat added that Secretary General Ban was only later brought "into the loop."

The diplomat cautioned however that Russia might not have made its decision yet. "This decision will not be made by Lavrov, but by Putin," he said, referring to the Russian foreign minister and president, respectively.

According to the Financial Times, which first reported about today's expected quartet announcement, Moscow "has decided not to oppose it." The newspaper added, however, that the European Union's foreign affairs chief, Javier Solana, was opposed to the appointment, as was Gordon Brown, who is set to replace Mr. Blair as prime minister.

It was also unclear how top U.N. officials would handle the prospects of the high-profile Mr. Blair's new diplomatic mission. Mr. Ban recently appointed a former British foreign office hand, Michael Williams, as his Middle East point man, and Mr. Blair may overshadow his fellow Briton's efforts, according to officials here.

In the audio recording released yesterday, Corporal Shalit complained of illnesses, and of a lack of Israeli efforts to negotiate his release. Aides to Mr. Olmert were quoted as saying that the message was clearly dictated by the captors, and that it did not change Israel's view that Hamas was not a partner for negotiations.

Corporal Shalit and Mr. Johnston are believed held by the Dughmush family, a clan based in Gaza that claims affiliation with al Qaeda. Soon after the Gaza takeover earlier this month Hamas officials said they would push for Mr. Johnston's release, but they reportedly hit a brick wall, as the clan's leader, Mumtaz Doughmush, refused to cooperate.

In a separate audio recording released yesterday, Al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, praised Hamas's attacks on Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and called on his followers to finance the organization. "Do your best to get it there, break the siege imposed on them by crusaders and Arab leader traitors," Mr. Zawahri told believers, according to a translation in an Associated Press report. "Facilitate weapons smuggling from neighboring countries."

Meanwhile in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, a summit meeting featuring Israeli, Palestinian Arab, Jordanian, and Egyptian leaders stressed the need to strengthen Fatah after what the host, President Mubarak, defined as the Hamas "coup" in Gaza. Mr. Olmert announced he would release 250 Fatah prisoners held by Israel. But he declined to renew talks on "final status" issues involving borders, refugees, and the fate of Jerusalem.