Palestinian factions slams Abbas-Olmert meeting  

    GAZA, April 15 (Xinhua) - The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) on Sunday slammed the upcoming meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

    "These meetings have no fruits except for the media because they come in response to a demand by the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice," said Atef Adwan, a Hamas lawmaker and a former minister.  Full story

Abbas' aide disparages upcoming meeting with Olmert

    RAMALLAH, April 12 (Xinhua) - An aide to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has on Thursday disparaged upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

    "The Israelis make us and the world busy with the build of this meeting rather than its core or the issues that the meeting must discuss," Yasser Abed Rabou, who is also a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), told Voice of Palestine radio.  Full story

Rice: Olmert, Abbas to start meeting on biweekly basis

    JERUSALEM, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to meet every two weeks, Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.

    Rice made the remarks at a press conference in Jerusalem, saying that Olmert and Abbas will discuss a political horizon consistent with the establishment of a Palestinian state.  Full story