Olmert hosts Abbas in fresh talks

28/08/2007| IslamWeb

The Israeli and Palestinian leaders have held talks in Jerusalem, the latest in a series to bolster Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian government.

The meetings were at Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office, involving teams of negotiators before one-on-one talks.

The leaders did not issue statements after the talks, meant to pave the way for an international peace conference.

Israel has backed Mr Abbas since his Islamist rivals Hamas seized control of Gaza in June, but made few concessions.

Israeli sources told the BBC Tuesday's meeting discussed security issues which could lead to the lifting of some travel restrictions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and addressed the issue of arms smuggling into Gaza from Egypt.

Earlier Israeli officials said a declaration of principles and understandings discussed at Tuesday's meeting would be kept vague, but Mr Abbas has urged they deal with substantive issues.

On Monday, he said that an international peace conference hosted by the US, schedule to take place in November, would be a "waste of time" if it stuck to a "declaration of principles".

Israel has previously ruled out discussing key issues such as the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and final borders before the conference.

Israeli officials had said Mr Olmert had planned to express his appreciation for the Palestinian security forces, which rescued an Israeli army officer who accidentally entered the West Bank town of Jenin on Monday.

After Hamas's victory in Gaza over Mr Abbas's Fatah movement, the president dismissed the elected Hamas-led government and formed a new administration in the West Bank.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert