Palestinians meet Israelis to discuss ‘road map’ for peace.
The political leaders of Palestine and Israeli meet for the first time this Saturday evening in what is also the first ‘official’ Palestinian-Israeli contact since September 2000.
Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen, the new elected prime minister of Palestine, will discuss the new ‘roadmap’ for peace in the Middle East.
Both leaders are thought to want more assurances over the commitment to end violence and counter-violence in the war torn area.
Mr. Sharon will press Abu Mazen to end Palestinian militants they say are continuing to attack Israelis.
Equally the Palestinan’s will be demanding the Israelis accept the Road Map and end military incursions into the Gaza Strip.
The meeting comes after the shock resignation offer of Saeb Erekat. Mr. Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator for the last seven years, who sent a letter of resignation late on Thursday.
A close allay of Yasser Arafat, Saeb Erekat is believed to have tendered his resignation over the Mr. Arafat’s and his own exclusion from deliberations.
The resignation though has not yet been accepted. It is thought that Abu Mazen will try and encourage him to remain in the council to maintain a show of unity.
