By Xinhua
Ramallah (Palestine) : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is likely to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next week following a brief suspension of peace talks, a source in Abbas’ office told Xinhua Monday.
“President Abbas will resume talks with Israel next week, probably Monday, and will meet Olmert in Jerusalem,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Reaching a full and mutual ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and West Bank and stopping of Israeli military operations will be the core of Abbas-Olmert discussions, the source said.
Abbas halted peace talks with Israel earlier this month following a deadly Israeli army operation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip that killed more than 125 Palestinians and injured hundreds.
The source said Abbas faced heavy pressure from the US, especially from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, to resume talks with Israel.
Peace talk between Israel and the Palestinian Authority led by Abbas was re-launched after summit hosted by the US last November in Annapolis, Maryland.
US President George W. Bush had then expressed hope that two sides would reach a peace deal by the end of 2008.