Israeli Troops Killed Palestinian in Jenin, Abbas to Meet Arab Leaders before Bush

21/07/2003| IslamWeb

A Palestinian has been killed by Israeli troops near the West Bank town of Jenin. Palestinian security sources say Israeli soldiers shot dead a member of the Islamic Jihad group Rami Slit in an exchange of gunfire. Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas was beginning in Cairo an intensive round of international diplomacy which would culminate in his first ever trip to the White House later in the week. Abbas left overnight Sunday from the West Bank town of Ramallah for the Jordanian capital Amman, from where he would take a plane to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak. He was due to return to Amman on Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah before departing for Washington where he is due to arrive on Wednesday night. The Palestinian leader, who is spearheading the Palestinian side in the peace process after the United States and Israel refused to deal with Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat, is due to hold talks with George Bush on Friday. His departure followed a stormy meeting on Sunday with his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon when the two clashed over the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and Arafat's continued confinement to his leadership headquarters in Ramallah. **PHOTO CAPTION*** The body of 23-year-old Palestinian Rami Slit, a supporter of the militant group Islamic Jihad is carried into the hospital of the West Bank town of Jenin late Sunday July 20, 2003. (AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)