Threat forces Blair to cancel Gaza trip

LONDON, July 15 (UPI) -- A security threat Tuesday forced former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to cancel a visit to the Gaza Strip, prompting him to return to Jerusalem instead.

Although his advance team had entered the territory through the Erez crossing, the international peace emissary's motorcade was ordered to turn around, The Times of London reported.

Details of the threat against Blair, who was visiting infrastructure projects in his role as an Middle Eastern peace envoy, weren't released.

In addition to security concerns, Blair's visit raised diplomatic issues because he would have had to pass through several Hamas military checkpoints to reach the sites he planned to visit, the British newspaper said. Western countries have no relations with Hamas and Blair would have been the first major international figure to visit the strip since the terrorist group took control of it last summer.

Blair had been expected to visit Beit Lahiya to tour schools and a sewage treatment plant, part of an international initiative designed to improve the area's infrastructure.