Abbas and Olmert to meet in Jerusalem Monday afternoon

A previous meeting (MaanImages)

16 July 2007

Jerusalem - Ma'an - The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, is scheduled to meet on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in his official residence in Jerusalem.

Hebrew media sources said that Olmert will inform Abbas that Israel is going to take several steps aiming at bolstering the Palestinian Authority presidency.

According to the sources, some of the intended Israeli measures include freeing 250 Palestinian detainees, most of whom are Fatah-affiliated in addition to some who are affiliated to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP and DFLP). Furthermore, 180 Palestinian activists who were classified as "wanted" by the Israeli intelligence services will be pardoned.

Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat said that the meeting's agenda will include political issues only.

Erekat told the Palestinian daily newspaper Al-Ayyam that Abbas will request the resumption of final status negotiations leading towards US President Bush's vision of a two-state solution.

The prime minister and finance minister in Abbas' caretaker government, Dr. Salam Fayyad, also told the Israeli daily Haaretz on Sunday that Israel's removal of roadblocks and the transfer of funds would not achieve their goal unless negotiations over a permanent solution to end the occupation were held simultaneously.

Fayyad also told Haaretz that the Palestine Liberation Organisation is not inflexible regarding the Palestinians' right of return. He said that the PLO, which represents the Palestinians in political negotiations, has adopted the Arab peace initiative, which calls for a just and agreeable solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. He emphasized that the solution must be agreed upon with Israel.