Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations    

    RAMALLAH, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Tuesday that the Palestinian negotiators hold meetings with U.S. Secretary of State once or twice every month to review the peace negotiations with Israel.

    Erekat told reporters in Ramallah that Rice will arrive in Israel and the Palestinian territories on Aug. 25, adding that on that day Rice will hold talks with the Palestinian negotiation teams.

    He also said that Rice will join a three-way meeting that will be held in Jerusalem and will include both sides' negotiators, adding that Rice is due to meet with President Abbas in Ramallah on Aug.26.

    After Annapolis peace conference held in the United States last November, Israel and the Palestinians agree to resume peace negotiations on permanent status issues. However, so far, no tangible progress has been made.

    "We usually meet with Rice once or twice a month to brief her of the results of the negotiations and the challenges that face the talks," said Erekat.

    After the two sides agreed to resume the peace talks, U.S. President George W. Bush promised that a final agreement between the two sides will be reached before he leaves the White House by the end of the year.

    Erekat, meanwhile, slammed Hamas movement for presenting proposals through the international media that the Palestinians are ready to offer Israel a Hudna (ceasefire), or a truce for ten years.

    "While we are negotiating on the establishment of the Palestinian state and the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories, Hamas is offering Israel a ten-year truce for a political solution," said Erekat.

    Erekat referred to an article written by deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haneya's advisor Ahmed Yousef and published in the New York Times this week, where he offered Israel a ten-year truce for a specific political solution.