Israeli intelligence service gave Blair warning of attack

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair called off a ground-breaking visit to Gaza today in his role as Middle East envoy after a specific warning of an assassination plot.

Israel’s Shin Bet security service told him he might come under attack there after it received “pinpoint information” that Palestinians were planning to attack him.

Mr Blair’s visit was to have included a tour of a Gaza waste water project and meetings with traders and UN officials, but not with leaders of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that seized Gaza by force more than a year ago.

However Hamas was in charge of security arrangements for Mr Blair, setting up checkpoints in areas he was expected to tour, banning cars from using roads, and lining streets with black-clad policemen carrying AK-47s.

Since the Hamas takeover, Gaza has been virtually sealed off from the world by Israel and Egypt, a policy that has received tacit international backing.

Mr Blair has said in recent weeks that a new policy toward Gaza needs to be developed, pointing to the growing suffering of Gaza’s people, but has not offered a plan.

The options are limited because much of the international community considers Hamas a terrorist group and has shunned its government.

Mr Blair’s spokesman said the envoy called off the visit “due to a specific security threat which would have made it irresponsible to proceed, not just for those visiting but also the local community.”

“He looks forward to being able to go to Gaza again in the future and will of course in the meantime continue to work to improve the conditions for the people there,” he added.

Taher Nunu, a Hamas government spokesman denied there were any security threats against Mr Blair.

“Gaza is still open for all visitors, to break the siege and see the extent of suffering here,” he said.

Although the once lawless Gaza has been mostly pacified under Hamas’ stern rule, there are still shadowy extremist Muslim groups in the territory.

On an Islamist forum popular with Gaza residents, some users attacked Mr Blair’s expected visit, but there were no direct threats of violence against him.

A key stop on Mr Blair’s trip would have been a northern Gaza waste water project being built with international funds.

He had not been expected to meet officials from Hamas, which is committed to Israel’s destruction and is considered a terrorist group by the US, EU and Israel.

“We are very disappointed,” said John Ging, Gaza director of the UN agency in charge of aiding Palestinian refugees.

Mr Blair is trying to revive the struggling Palestinian economy to lay the groundwork for a future independent Palestinian state.

He represents the Mideast Quartet – the US, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – which is trying to push the Palestinians and Israel toward a peace agreement.

Mr Blair also cancelled a visit to Sderot, the town in southern Israel which is the frequent target of rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza.