Palestinian Authority (PA) officials have announced that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has called off a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, which was scheduled for Thursday in Jericho. They explained that the meeting cannot be held while Israel continues to engage in counter-terrorist activities, refuses to release tax revenues and declines to accept another ceasefire.

The announcement came several minutes after Arab terrorists fired eight mortar shells on IDF positions near the Erez crossing as the northern edge of the Gaza region.