News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has backtracked from statements that he would consider talking with the rival Hamas terrorist organization after Israel objected. However, he previously had told Israel he would not sit down with Hamas but nevertheless stated the opposite on the same day that he met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last month.

Opposition and coalition Knesset Members demanded that Prime Minister Olmert immediately halt discussions with Abbas. Following appeasing comments this week by deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Abbas said on Thursday he again is isolating the rival faction. He left open the possibility of negotiating with Hamas if it were to relinquish its control of Gaza, which is exactly what Haniyeh implied this week when he said the faction's rule may be temporary.

Fatah official Jibril al-Rajoub met with a senior Hamas leader Thursday to discuss the possibility of negotiations to take place in Egypt, but other Fatah leaders said the meeting was "non-binding."