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>Last update - 17:28 07/05/2009 > > >Blair: Israel-Palestinian talks must address Jerusalem > > >By Reuters > >Tags: Israel News > > > >Renewed peace talks between Israel and the >Palestinians must tackle core issues including >Jerusalem, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said, raising >the specter of a clash with Prime Minister Benjamin >Netanyahu. > >"Unless you're dealing with the core issues, then the >negotiation, I don't know what it's about," Blair, >envoy for the Quartet of Middle East mediators, the >United States, the European Union, the United Nations >and Russia, told Reuters on Thursday. "It will be the >substance that matters." > >Blair's remarks were the strongest signal yet by the >Quartet that it would pressure Netanyahu to resume >negotiations on final-status issues - the borders of a >Palestinian state as well as the fate of Jerusalem and >Palestinian refugees. > Advertisement > >Netanyahu's main right-wing and ultra-Orthodox >coalition partners oppose negotiations on the core >issues, underscoring the difficult balancing act he >faces in trying to satisfy Western demands for >substantive peace moves without triggering an internal >backlash that could destabilize his government. > >Netanyahu, who met Blair on Wednesday, has been vague >in public about the scope of any future peace talks >with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose >Western-backed government holds sway in the West Bank. > >This week, Netanyahu said he was ready immediately to >begin negotiations on economic, security and political >issues. > >But he has so far refused to endorse a two-state >solution, or to spell out whether "political" >negotiations would include the core issues. > >Netanyahu's office declined to comment on Blair's >remarks, but a senior official said "the Palestinians >can bring to the table their concerns and we will >bring to the table our concerns" without preconditions.

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