Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    RAMALLAH, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) - A senior leader of the Popular Front to Liberate Palestine (PFLP) slammed Sunday U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's coming visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

    Abdel Rahim Mallouh, PFLP deputy chief made the denunciation in a written statement sent to the press, saying that "the visit of Rice to the area aims basically at exerting pressures on the Palestinians to give more concessions that serve the interests of Israel."

    Rice will arrive in the region on Sunday to meet and hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to preview the peace talks between the two sides.

    "She (Rice) wants to gain scores of success for her outgoing American administration by convincing the Palestinian side to accept a peace agreement with Israel with postponed implementation," said Mallouh.

    Right after the Annapolis peace conference held in the United States last November, Israel and the Palestinians agreed to hold intensive peace talks to reach an agreement on the basic permanent status issues before the end of this year.

    Mallouh warned the Palestinians not to accept the attempts of Rice and the leaders of Israel to pass what they are aiming it on the expense of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights.

    The priority now has to be on agreeing on a certain Palestinian working strategy is to regain the unity of the Palestinian people and "not just to go for public relations and absurd direct and indirect negotiations," he stressed.