Lieutenant-General William Fraser, the American envoy to the Middle East, is to meet with Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Defense Minister Ehud Barak Friday and is expected to issue a report criticizing Israel more than the PA. One government official said that the Olmert administration will be blamed for not destroying Jewish hilltop communities, for allowing construction in Greater Jerusalem and for not lifting more roadblocks designed to protect Jews from terrorists.
Abbas is likely to escape criticism for rocket attacks against Israel because his Fatah faction has not controlled events in Gaza since the Hamas military takeover last June.
His report will include his observations on carrying out the Roadmap plan. However, Israel has agreed to skip over the first phase of the plan, which demands that the PA halt incitement against Israel and stop terrorist attacks. Official PA media last week praised the terrorist who murdered eight students in the attack at the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva.