Mubarak meets Abbas, urging Palestinian-Israeli negotiation

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called for resumption of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel when he met with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday morning, the official MENA news agency reported.

Mubarak told Abbas, who arrived in Cairo on Friday, that a negotiated political settlement was the way to reach a just, permanent and comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and Israel, Mubarak's spokesman Sulaiman Awwad told reporters.

Awwad said that Mubarak also gave Abbas a detailed account of his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Olmert said after a summit with Mubarak in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on June 4 that he intended to meet Abbas and that negotiations with the Palestinians were Israel's priority.

Egypt has been preparing for a three-way summit in Sharm el- Sheikh, which will bring together Mubarak, Olmert and Abbas, according to Awwad.

Mubarak also expressed hope that the ongoing Palestinian internal dialogue would succeed, said Awwad.

Such dialogue is very important and Egypt hopes that the Palestinians could speak in one voice to shatter the claim that there is no Palestinian partner for peace negotiations, said the spokesman.

For his part, Abbas informed Mubarak of Israel's military escalation and the inter-Palestinian dialogue, which has been extended for a second round, said Awwad.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) formed the cabinet

following its surprising victory over Abbas' long-dominant Fatah in the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections.

But political differences and power struggle between the two rival factions resulted in increasing armed clashes and Abbas

called a referendum on a statehood plan which implies recognition of Israel on July 26 after a national dialogue failed to adopt the plan by the June 10's deadline.

Abbas, meanwhile, express his gratitude to Mubarak over Egyptian assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinians.

Some 24 Egyptian trucks carrying medical assistance have crossed an Israeli checkpoint into Gaza, said Awwad, adding that another 30 food-laden trucks are on their way to Gaza.

The European Union -- the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians- - and the United States both suspended direct aid to the Palestinian National Authority after Hamas won January elections, while Israel has also blocked the transfer of revenues, causing acute Palestinian financial crisis.

The Hamas-led government has resisted massive pressure to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist and abide by signed peace deals with Israel since it was sworn in late March.

The Middle East Quartet comprising the EU, the U.S., Russia and the UN decided to create a mechanism that would bypass the Hamas- led government and deliver direct aid to the Palestinian people during a meeting in New York on May 9.

Egypt has long played a mediating role between the Palestinians and Israel, as well as among various Palestinian factions.

Source: Xinhua