Abbas, Olmert to meet soon

By Xinhua

Gaza : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would meet soon to discuss the idea of resuming the stalled Middle East peace process, Chief Negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said Sunday.


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But Erekat said no date has been set for the meeting, adding contacts with the Israel, to arrange for the summit, were underway.

"If the meeting is held, it will discuss a political horizon to end the military occupation of the territories," Erekat said. "The meeting will also discuss the roadmap peace plan and the two-state solution of (US) President George W. Bush."

President Abbas had earlier said he would meet Olmert on June 7. His remarks were made in Gaza where the Israeli army has launched aerial offensive against Hamas Islamists who lead the current coalition government.

"The two will meet to reinforce ceasefire, but the violence brings violence and Israel must understand this," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.

However, Erekat expressed concerns that the Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territories could negatively affect an upcoming meeting between Abbas and Olmert.

The Israeli troops killed two Palestinians in the West Bank during ground operations. The soldiers gunned down a Fatah militant in fire exchange in Jenin refugee camp this morning and another civilian in Nablus last night.

Meanwhile, Olmert said earlier Sunday that his army would continue aerial and ground offensives to crack down on Palestinian militants who were launching homemade rockets at Israel.

Four Israeli soldiers were injured, one of them moderately, earlier on Sunday after Islamic Hamas militants fired at least eight mortar shells at Erez border crossing between Gaza northern tip and Israel.

Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, claimed responsibility for the attack on Erez and vowed in a pamphlet to continue attacks on Israel as long as the Israeli offensive goes on.

Israel Radio quoted Olmert as saying during the weekly cabinet meeting that "although the number of rockets fired from Gaza at Israel had dropped, the Israeli army doesn't have plans to change its activities."

The Israeli PM reiterated, "Still no one in Gaza is immune."

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