GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will appeal for the World Economic Forum (WEF) due to be held in Egypt on Saturday to lift a severe siege imposed on the Palestinian people, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

    "President Abbas will show aftereffects of the humanitarian disaster facing Palestinian people, and will stress the crucial need to lift the siege," Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio.The three-day WEF is scheduled to kick off later on Saturday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

    Abbas, who is now in the resort, is scheduled to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres at the meeting, Erekat said.

    It will be the first meeting between Abbas and Israeli officials since Hamas took office on March 29, said Erekat.

    Abbas will also hold high-profile meetings with Malaysian and Pakistani Prime Ministers and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, as well as the U.S. deputy secretary of state,congressmen and dozens of businessmen during the forum.

    The Sharm el-Sheikh forum, which will run till Monday, will gather over 1,200 political and business leaders from 46 countries to discuss approaches for a prosperous and peaceful future for the Middle East under the theme of "The Promise of a New Generation."Enditem