RAMALLAH, West Bank, 4 September 2007 - Palestinian sources yesterday said that another meeting is expected this week between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for peace talks ahead of a regional conference scheduled for November in the United States. The sources added that Abbas-Olmert meeting will focus on drafting an agreement of principles ahead of the scheduled conference.
Meanwhile, Olmert’s efforts to reach an agreement of principles with Abbas are stirring considerable dissent in the ranks of his ruling party, Kadima. According to party sources, a number of Knesset (parliament) members and ministers have raised concern that Olmert is proceeding without sufficient backing inside Kadima, which they warn may pose a threat to the party’s future.
The Knesset members demanded that Olmert present the details of the framework agreement he was planning to sign with Abbas. In order to gain support within Kadima and also with the general public, Olmert was planning to make a speech on Sept. 20, during which he would outline the details of the planned agreement.
Among Kadima’s members of the Knesset and ministers who have expressed concern, mostly over press reports on developments in the Olmert-Abbas talks, are Marina Solodkin, David Tal, Otniel Schneller, Ze’ev Elkin, Shaim Hermesh, and Minister of Public Security Avi Dichter.
Dichter was particularly concerned about the possibility of changes to the Negev border as part of land extradition, a scenario that was reported in the media as having been raised in the Olmert-Abbas talks. “From anonymous or other sources we are told that the Negev border will undergo changes,” Dichter said.
Olmert said yesterday he was not sure he would be able to reach a deal with Abbas on statehood principles before the conference in November. “I have been holding meetings with Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen (Abbas) and I hope that in the near future this will lead to a ... joint declaration,” Olmert told reporters. “If we can achieve a draft by November, we will achieve it, but I am not sure we will be able to do that.”
Olmert is seeking agreement on a broad brush “declaration of principles” whereas Abbas wants a more explicit “framework agreement” with a timeline for implementation on the core issues of borders, Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
