Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) will be meeting in Yerushalayim on Sunday. The prime minister is pushing to reach an agreement that will permit initialing a draft that will lead to a White House ceremony prior to his being ousted from office. This would have to be accomplished in the coming weeks since the Kadima primary election is scheduled for 18 September, after which time Olmert is expected to be replaced.

Undoubtedly this was on the agenda during the recent visit to Jerusalem by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who continues to pressure Israel to make concessions to the PA (Palestinian Authority) in the hope of permitting the outgoing administration to flaunt a peace agreement document.

The talks between the two will focus on the future of Yerushalayim, and critics of the prime minister fear he is too willing to compromise Israel’s interests to promote his own image as he winds down his political career and may face multiple critical indictments. The PA leader will also discuss the PA’s demand for the return of so-called Palestinian refugees.

Abu Mazen, who is billed by Israel as a “moderate” last week met with Samir Kuntar, the terrorist released by Israel in the Regev-Goldwasser exchange deal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)