Israeli Prime Minister met on Saturday evening with the British Prime
Minister, Tony Blair. The later plans to meet the Palestinian
president, Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday but will not meet the Palestinian
Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya or any member of the Hamas-led
government.
Haniyya said that ignoring the elected Palestinian government is considered a “one-sided policy” that hurts the Palestinians. The statements of Haniyya came in a column published Saturday in the London-based Guardian newspaper.
Haniyya, addressing Blair in the column published in the Guardian, said; “If you Mr. Blair, wish to do the right thing, you should work for the end of the Israeli occupation without any further delay”.
Olmert told Blair that he is willing to meet the Palestinian president but stressed that releasing the captured Israeli soldier is on top of the agenda ahead of any meeting with Abbas.
Palestinian resistance fighters holding the abducted soldier, Gilad Shalit, said that Israeli should release all child and female detainees, in addition to releasing sick detainees and the detainees who were arrested twenty-five years ago or more.
Blair's visit to the Middle-East is said to be an attempt to revive the stalled peace process in the Middle East.
The meeting between the two leaders took place in Jerusalem.
Also, Blair is set to meet with Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, and Vice Premier Shimon Peres.
