Israel, Palestinians float Gaza gas rapprochement - Reuters Africa

* Initiatives announced ahead of "Quartet" meeting

* After Egypt, Netanyahu stresses need for security deals

* Palestinian gas yields to take 3 years, $800 million

(Adds Palestinian official)

By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Israel and the Palestinians are close to talks on developing a gas field off the Gaza coast and other initiatives for an independent infrastructure there, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday.

The announcement anticipated a meeting on Saturday of world powers trying to revive peace negotiations mired by long-running Israeli-Palestinian disputes about West Bank boundaries as well as the hostility of Gaza's rulers, the Islamist Hamas.

Middle East diplomacy has been thrown into further disarray by the weeks of political upheaval in neighbouring Egypt -- the regional powerbroker -- and other Arab states.   Continued...