By KUNA,
Ramallah : Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said Saturday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to meet outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday.
Erakat told Voice of Palestine that both officials will discuss progress made in negotiations since the Annapolis Peace Conference that was held a year ago.
Olmert is currently leading the interim government until the February elections, after Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who is also chairing Kadima party, failed to form a new Israeli cabinet, pushing her to recommend early elections.
The upcoming meeting was arranged two days after the Israeli daily Haaretz said that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ratified a number of settlement expansion plans in the West Bank, namely those areas that are located behind the separation wall.
Since the Annapolis Peace Conference, Israel has approved a considerable number of new settlements, namely in the Jerusalem surrounding area.