Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to urge resumption of negotiations on an internationally backed peace plan.
At a news conference on Sunday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak after their talks, Olmert said he would insist that the Palestinians carry out their commitments under the plan, known as the "roadmap." Those include dismantling violent groups. Abbas, a moderate, has tried to control militants through negotiations, but the Hamas victory in elections and formation of a government have undermined his efforts.
This was the first meeting between the veteran Egyptian leader and Olmert since he became Israel's prime minister a month ago. As trade minister, Olmert met Mubarak in December 2004.
PHOTO: AFP
The two leaders talked in private for an hour and a half at Mubarak's palace at the resort at the tip of the Sinai desert, target of bombing attacks by Islamic extremists in recent months. Olmert said the two agreed to deepen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
Meanwhile, Abbas intensified his faceoff with Hamas yesterday by insisting he would accept no changes to a plan calling for compromise with Israel.
Abbas has given Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, until today to accept the proposal for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, or face a national referendum on the matter. The two sides were continuing talks, but after Abbas, of the rival Fatah party, laid down his red lines, the chances of reaching agreement appeared slim.
"If anyone wants to amend this document, then we will not reach any results," Abbas told reporters after meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
Acceptance of the proposal would signal a major concession by the Islamic group, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in its battle against the Jewish state.
Abbas has endorsed the plan, put forth by politically powerful Hamas and Fatah prisoners held in Israeli jails, as a way to end crushing economic sanctions against the Palestinians and allow him to resume peace talks with Israel. Since Hamas trounced Abbas' Fatah movement in legislative elections, the two sides have been locked in an increasingly bloody power struggle.
Late on Sunday, five Palestinians -- a Hamas militant and four bystanders -- were killed in two clashes between Fatah and Hamas forces, one in Gaza City and the other in the city of Khan Younis.
Yesterday, Hamas gunmen rampaged through a Palestinian TV transmitter site in Khan Younis, expelled employees, beat up a cameraman and fired their weapons at cameras and other equipment, witnesses said.
They left after several minutes.
Hamas officials reacted angrily to Abbas' referendum threat. The sides have been holding occasional talks since Abbas announced his referendum plan late last month but have made little headway.
"We feel that the approach is to impose the document on us ... The approach is to treat this document as a sacred document, and that is something we don't accept," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.
He said the group was ready to continue negotiations, but rejected any deadline set by Abbas.
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