Chief Palestinian negotiator and cabinet minister Dr. Saeb Erekat, met of Friday with Sharon’s advisor Dov Weissglas, in Tel Aviv, and agreed to meet again before the Abbas-Sharon summit scheduled for Tuesday.
The two held talks for more than two hours and discussed the details of Abbas-Sharon summit, and its main topics.
Dov Weissglas and Saeb Erekat held talks for more than two hours in Tel Aviv on Friday, to iron out the details of the summit. They also agreed on the establishment of two joint professional bodies to work out the arrangements for the Egypt-Gaza border at Rafah.
Israeli media sources reported that King Abdullah of Jordan might participate in the Abbas-Sharon summit.
Friday’s meeting between Erekat and Weissglas was described as positive, but the two did not discuss the issue of Palestinian detainees indicted of killing Israelis, yet they agreed to reactivate the ministerial committees in charge of the security and detainees files.
Also, Weissglas reiterated the Israeli position which rejects the participation of Hamas in the upcoming legislative elections, adding that Israel will conduct procedures to bar Hamas candidates from participating.
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The issue of transferring ammunition to the P.A was not addressed.ÂÂ
Dr. Erekat demanded Israel to implement the Road Map Plan, and the Sharm Al Sheikh understandings, which includes Israeli withdrawal from West Bank cities, releasing detainees, resolving the issue of wanted resistance fighters, and the return of the fighters who were deported after the siege of the church of Nativity.
Erekat also said that he demanded Israel to stop settlement constructions and expansions, and to halt the construction of the Separation Wall in the West Bank.
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Israeli online daily Haaretz reported that Erekat and Weissglas also agreed on establishing two joint professional bodies in order to conduct the needed arrangements for operating the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
The Crossing will be jointly run by Israel and the P.A; European Union inspectors will supervise the Crossing, surveillance systems will be installed to transfer information to the Israeli side.ÂÂ
Erekat-Weissglass to meet Friday
Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies
Sharon’s top advisor Dov Weissglass and chief Palestinian negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat are set to meet Friday in order to prepare for the Abbas-Sharon summit which will most likely take place on Tuesday.
The preparatory meeting will discuss issues regarding resistance fighters, and prisoners release before the planned summit between the two leaders.
The location of Erekat- Weissglass summit was not disclosed.
Erekat said that the P.A does not want a failed summit, and that he and Weissglass want to agree on the core of the summit.
Meanwhile, senior Israel sources said that Israel is to consider steps said to ease the daily lives of the Palestinians.
The sources added that it in unlikely that Sharon will approve transferring ammunition to the Palestinian Authority (P.A), while the Israeli radio reported on Friday morning that the army planned to recommend that Israel approves the transfer.ÂÂ
Sharon and Abbas are expected to discuss the renewal of talks regarding operating the border crossings from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and the future of the crossing point which will link the Gaza Strip and Sinai, in addition to implementing the Sharm Al Sheikh understandings regarding Israeli withdrawal from West Bank area and releasing Palestinian detainees.
Also, a senior Israeli source reported on Friday that Israel will reiterate its position which rejects the participation of Hamas in the upcoming legislative elections.
Abbas and Sharon did not meet since June 21; they only had a few phone conversations since then. During their last meeting, the two leaders agreed to coordinate the implementation of Sharon’s unilateral pullout from the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank.
Palestinian president is scheduled to meet with the US president George W. Bush in Washington on October 20.
