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Mideast summit proves difficult

Israeli and Palestinian leaders do not seriously discuss key issues, as Hamas is an obstacle.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published March 12, 2007

JERUSALEM - The second summit in a month between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, encouraged by U.S. officials as a way to nurture their fledgling dialogue, produced little progress on Sunday. A Palestinian participant called it "difficult."

In the only concrete result, an Israeli official said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to keep the vital Karni cargo crossing between Israel and Gaza open for longer hours to allow more goods to enter and exit the seaside territory. Israel has kept Karni closed often, citing security threats.

Larger issues standing in the way of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians - borders, Jewish settlements, Palestinian refugees, Jerusalem - were not even seriously discussed. Olmert said in advance that the talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would be limited to humanitarian issues.

His position reflected Israel's rejection of the government headed by the violently anti-Israel Hamas as well as the impending Palestinian unity government consisting of Hamas and Abbas' more moderate Fatah movement.

The power-sharing deal between the two Palestinian rivals, reached last month in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, has cast a shadow on Mideast diplomacy because it does not meet international demands that any Palestinian government renounce violence, recognize Israel and commit to previous peace agreements.

While willing to maintain ties with Abbas, Olmert says he will not conduct peace talks with a government that includes Hamas unless the group agrees to meet those demands.

Under the unity deal, the new government only agrees to "respect" past agreements, falling short of the international conditions.

Just before the meeting ended, the Al-Jazeera satellite channel broadcast an audio recording of al-Qaida's No. 2 leader criticizing Hamas for agreeing to the unity government - comments that indicated that the issue was coming to the attention of non-Palestinian militants as well.

Hamas has made a "mockery of Muslims minds and feelings" by saying that the accord reached in Mecca respects international agreements, Ayman al-Zawahri said. "What is happening in Palestine is another form of humiliation."

Abbas has argued the unity deal with Hamas is essential to end months of infighting. More than 130 Palestinians have been killed in internal violence since last May, after Hamas defeated Fatah in legislative elections.

In the most serious flareup of fighting since the agreement, gunmen from Hamas and Fatah exchanged fire early Sunday in northern Gaza. A local Hamas militia leader was killed and seven people were wounded.

[Last modified March 12, 2007, 01:30:29]