By Prensa Latina,
Ramallah : Skepticism reigns in the Middle East towards today’s meeting of Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
While media familiar with the Israel-Palestine peace process are unwilling to comment on the meeting at Olmert’s residence in Jerusalem, others think it will be more of the same.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), rival of Abbas’s Al-Fatah, suspects it is another trick of Tel Aviv to “help” the PNA moderate government to the detriment of Hamas’-led Gaza.
At similar meeting in 2007 Olmert announced the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners to reinforce Al-Fatah’s West Bank cabinet.
The Prime Minister’s cabinet claims he now favors the release (sine dies) of some Palestinian prisoners as gesture of good will towards Abbas.
Olmert agreed Sunday to free five prisoners as part of an exchange with Lebanon’s Hizballah (Party of God) that last month returned the remains of two Israeli soldiers.
Yet Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs wishes every accord to benefit those serving the longest sentences, women, children and prominent politicians.
Israeli official sectors say this meeting is a routine follow-up of the November 2007 Peace Conference in Annapolis, US, and contributes nothing, namely since Olmert will step down in September due corruption charges against him.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting will also address bilateral interests like the latest clashes in Gaza between Hamas and Al-Fatah, the permanent status, check points and the release of several Palestinian jailed in Israel.
The experts think the US-sponsored Israel-Palestine Peace Talks will fall in a limbo with
Olmert’s announced resignation, though in practice Israel usual stubbornness has stranded it.