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Erekat: Abbas told Olmert PA won't accept interim peace deal
By Aluf Benn, Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: Mideast peace process 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected Israel's idea of an interim peace agreement at summit with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Sunday, a Palestinian negotiator said, insisting on an all-or-nothing approach that virtually ruled out an accord by a January target date.

The latest meeting between Abbas and Olmert was their shortest, lasting less than an hour. Before the talks in Jerusalem, Olmert's aides had said earlier the premier hoped the Palestinians would sign a document outlining any agreements reached with Israel before he leaves office.

But Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Abbas flatly rejected that at the brief summit on Sunday.
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"We want an agreement to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Erekat told The Associated Press. "President Abbas told Olmert that we will not be part of an interim or shelf agreement," he said. "Either we agree on all issues, or no agreement at all."

For his part, Olmert pledged at Sunday's meeting that Israelis and Palestinians would try to seal a peace deal this year in line with a target set by Washington.

"We have to complete the Annapolis process this year - this year," Olmert, grasping Abbas in a handshake and using his other hand to gesture to the Palestinian leader, said emphatically in English as they posed for photographers at talks in Jerusalem.

The prime minister was referring to U.S.-sponsored Palestinian statehood talks that began at a conference in Annapolis, Maryland last November after a seven-year breakdown. Both leaders pledged to continue the talks until the end of the year, despite Olmert's plans to step down after a September primary in his Kadima party.

In a more upbeat take on the Sunday summit than Erekat's, Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said after the meeting that significant progress had been made in the talks but there are still considerable gaps between the two sides. He would not elaborate on the differences and gave no direct answer when asked if Olmert broached the idea of an interim agreement at the meeting.

During the meeting, Olmert protested Abbas' recent meeting with notorious Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar, whom Israel released in July as part of a prisoner swap with Hezbollah.

The prime minister told Abbas: "You are not a man of terror, and I didn't expect you to meet with such a despicable killer as him."

Abbas answered that the meeting was unplanned and that Kuntar had in fact invited himself. Olmert replied that it was still possible for the Palestinian leader not to have met with Kuntar.

Kuntar was convicted of murdering three Israelis in a particularly brutal terror attack in Nahariya 1979.

PM draws fire over proposal for int'l involvement in talks on J'lem

The talks came as Olmert's plan to propose international involvement in negotiations over the capital drew fire from cabinet ministers.

Olmert was expected to try to convince the Palestinian leader to accept an agreement of principles on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that will represent a framework for a two-state solution.

As far as Olmert is concerned, the talks with Abbas have entered the "final straight," and there are about two weeks left to reach an agreement before the prime minister steps down.

Shas Chairman Eli Yishai condemned the plan, charging that the prime minister has no legal or public authority to make a deal with the Palestinians, and certainly not to decide the fate of Jerusalem.

"The leadership of the Palestinian Authority is virtual," Yishai said. "Any agreement with them will be the basis for more terror. It is clear to everyone that Jerusalem's fate cannot be negotiated like it was a currency, and certainly not with international participation."

The meeting between the two leaders will likely be their final session before the Kadima primary on September 17, after which Olmert will leave his post.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned Sunday that the two sides must not let time constraints set the agenda for talks. Livni is the front-runner in the race to replace Olmert as Kadima leader.

"I support negotiations, but a final agreement has to explicitly reflect Israel's interests," she said. "We can't allow time constraints to rush us into making grave mistakes in trying to bridge gaps that are too big in a way that will bring about a clash, nor can we compromise on critical issues only for the sake of results. This is not how I operate in negotiations."

Central in Olmert's proposal to the Palestinians is that the talks on sovereignty and control over the holy sites in Jerusalem be held under an international umbrella, where governments and other interested parties will be able to contribute their views. The negotiations will be held directly between Israel and the Palestinians, and international parties will not be able to impose their views on a solution. The role of the international parties would be to bolster the agreement that the two sides will agree upon in direct negotiations.

According to Olmert's proposal, a five-year timetable will be set out for completing a settlement on Jerusalem.



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      1.   Olmert vs Abbas 03:09  |  Brod 31/08/08
      2.   Olmert should have resigned a year ago! What is a convoincted.... 03:34  |  Rafa 31/08/08
      3.   Smart Brod 03:35  |  Warder 31/08/08
      4.   Peace 03:36  |  RepublicanStones 31/08/08
      5.   #1 Brod. Ducks of a feather... 03:37  |  Maureen Ann 31/08/08
      6.   PA presidential elections scheduled to take place in January 03:53  |  vik 31/08/08
      7.   Huricane Gustav Will Devastate South U.S.A . 04:24  |  Joseph.E 31/08/08
      8.   Is a one sane person left in this country? 04:36  |  DB 31/08/08
      9.   Two state solution 04:37  |  Wayne Redden 31/08/08
      10.   a criminally insane traitorous gangster 04:38  |  chaim 31/08/08
      11.   Olmert to press Abbas to accept framework for two States solution 04:40  |  martin list, m.d. 31/08/08
      12.   Rice-Olmert Intent Is To Internationaly Blame Arab` Refusal 04:42  |  Joseph.E 31/08/08
      13.   The Deal Will Lower ArabPal per capita Income 04:50  |  Joseph.E 31/08/08
      14.   RepublicanStones. you English is as poor as your history 05:21  |  Bruce 31/08/08
      15.   Jerusalem MUST BE INCLUDED in a 2008 deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 05:50  |  MOE 31/08/08
      16.   Olmerts a lame duck but he will be like a loose cannon 05:54  |  zionist forever 31/08/08
      17.   one is left speechless 05:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/08/08
      18.   Withdraw To 1949 Armistice Lines Or Face Muslims Lords of Wars 06:05  |  Joseph.E 31/08/08
      19.   Linvi & Olmert must both resign they are defeatists 06:45  |  HENRY MANN 31/08/08
      20.   4 07:00  |  zionist forever 31/08/08
      21.   #19, Henry Mann 07:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/08/08
      22.   Suggestion by Olmert somewhat of an accomplishment but... 07:33  |  Smadar 31/08/08
      23.   #15 - do you have lots of other fantasies too? 07:55  |  redmike 31/08/08
      24.   #14 - not fair to criticize English on this talkback .. 08:02  |  redmike 31/08/08
      25.   #22, Smadar 08:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 31/08/08
      26.   Israels talks two state, but actions will lead to one state 08:14  |  Natallie Durson 31/08/08
      27.   To RepublicanStones - # 4 - Historic Palestine? 08:23  |  Dagma 31/08/08
      28.   #17 Say Cipora, listen, Olmert is telling 08:33  |  ballistic 31/08/08
      29.   Olmert STILL there....? 08:34  |  Dolly 31/08/08
      30.   5 years to reach a settlement on Jerusalem! 08:40  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      31.   #21 Say Cipora 08:41  |  ballistic 31/08/08
      32.   The Oslo peace process didn`t have any chance to bring peace. 08:42  |  Jean Van Daem 31/08/08
      33.   Wayne Redden # 9 - Mideast Peace 08:44  |  Dagma 31/08/08
      34.   HENRY MANN # 19 - Stop Voting for Livni 09:01  |  Pathfinder 31/08/08
      35.   get rid of olmert before there is no israel left 09:04  |  ralph 31/08/08
      36.   who is abbas....? 09:07  |  ravi 31/08/08
      37.   UN, EU, USA and Russia will decide........ 09:08  |  Nora 31/08/08
      38.   Can you believe this one? 09:18  |  Connie 31/08/08
      39.   3 state solution is what is needed 09:19  |  SJ 31/08/08
      40.   olmert wants Israels enemies to decide the future of the capital 09:28  |  zionist forever 31/08/08
      41.   PEACE- What a Concept 09:42  |  Alan 31/08/08
      42.   SJ 09:52  |  Connie 31/08/08
      43.   olmert should invite ahmedinejad also 10:00  |  paulo2005 31/08/08
      44.   THE MOTHER OF ALL ISSUE RAISED BY A CROOK AT THE LAST MINUTES 10:04  |  indrajaya 31/08/08
      45.   CHUTZPAH....NO MANDATE, NO SUPPORT! and yet... 10:21  |  Jacob 31/08/08
      46.   Judgement for deserting Israel 10:25  |  Patrick K Phillips 31/08/08
      47.   Olmert you`re out - hands off our future 11:05  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 31/08/08
      48.   We elected him #10 11:19  |  A.M. 31/08/08
      49.   JERUSALEM ISSUE WON`T GO AWAY FOREVER 11:35  |  indrajaya 31/08/08
      50.   Only ONE conclusion from reading the posts here..... 11:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 31/08/08
      51.   Shas chief: Olmert has no authority 11:45  |  Ralph 31/08/08
      52.   Shas Gave Olmert The Authority by staying in the government 12:06  |  JM 31/08/08
      53.   Palestinian elections in January....? 12:16  |  Palestinian Brit 31/08/08
      54.   Jerusalem must not be ruled by Muslims! 12:23  |  Paul Henzen 31/08/08
      55.   Swiss (Dino) STRANGE 12:30  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 31/08/08
      56.   Good faith 12:45  |  Joseph 31/08/08
      57.   Land for peace? 12:48  |  Sherlock Holmes 31/08/08
      58.   on fanatics and non fanatics 12:58  |  Lea de Lange 31/08/08
      59.   To ballistic # 31 - Peace with someone who wants you DESTROYED? 13:07  |  Dagma 31/08/08
      60.   To ballistic 28 - You are not in the picture..... 13:18  |  Natasha 31/08/08
      61.   RepublicanStones...your`re lying...you`re an Ulster Union, right? 13:37  |  Ofer Maimon 31/08/08
      62.   international involvement 13:54  |  david 31/08/08
      63.   It`s not Olmert, not Livni, it`s us...part 1 13:55  |  Ofer Maimon 31/08/08
      64.   The fate of Olmert 13:57  |  Patrick Warner 31/08/08
      65.   Ralph, Corrupt or not, Olmert is not Asad! 14:00  |  Zev Davis 31/08/08
      66.   SO WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE? 14:04  |  AMIHAI 31/08/08
      67.   It`s not Olmert, not Livni, it`s us...part 2 14:04  |  Ofer Maimon