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Israeli, Palestinian leaders making plans for meeting

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published December 20, 2006

JERUSALEM - Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Tuesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are making plans to hold a meeting.

Both leaders have called in recent weeks for a meeting with the other as a way to reignite long-stalled peace talks. "The preparation for the meeting ... is ongoing," Erekat said. "Once the preparations are concluded, the meeting will take place immediately. No date has been set yet."

Also, Olmert made a surprise visit to Jordan on Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah II on ways to revive Mideast peacemaking.

A palace statement said Abdullah was offering to host a meeting in Jordan to help resolve Palestinian infighting between the Hamas and Fatah movements. As the statement was issued, the groups waged gunbattles in Gaza City.

In Jerusalem, Olmert's office confirmed the meeting, saying the leaders discussed the Palestinian crisis and larger regional issues.

Palestinian infighting

A fierce gunbattle between rival Fatah and Hamas forces erupted outside Gaza City's main hospital Tuesday, sparking a day of violence that brought life in much of Gaza to a standstill. Five people were killed and at least 18 wounded in the violence, which swept away the remains of a truce meant to end a week of fighting.

In a televised speech, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas called for an end to the fighting and urged the warring factions to focus their attention on Israel.

"This nation, this people, will be united in front of the occupation and aggression and will not be engaged, despite the wounds of the past few days, in internal fighting," he said.

[Last modified December 20, 2006, 01:20:52]