(IsraelNN.com) The IDF's Intelligence Chief, Gen. Amos Yadlin, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday that Hamas is acting to perpetrate a large-scale terrorist attack as a means of thwarting the November summit in Washington. 

The summit, sponsored by US President Bush for the purpose of formulating the outlines of a final-status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, is to be held in Washington, D.C.

Yadlin explained that Hamas objects to the summit, which will grant international legitimacy to its rival, Fatah.  On the other hand, he said, Hamas is trying to lower the flames of this violent rivalry. 

Olmert: Declaration of Intent, not Principles
At the same time, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert now says that he is no longer working to formulate an "agreement of principles" with Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas.  Instead, he hopes to have a "joint declaration of intentions" ready in time for the international Middle East summit two months from now.

Olmert said as much at a meeting of Kadima Party members on Sunday morning, prior to the weekly Cabinet meeting.

Abbas said in response that a declaration of intentions is not sufficient, and that the details must be worked on as well.  Top PA negotiator Saeb Erekat said as well that the goal at present is to reach a detailed agreement on all the issues, including a timetable and arrangements for international supervision.

The weekly Makor Rishon newspaper reported ten days ago that Olmert was working on a new approach - one that would obligate Israel even if the summit itself - sponsored and promoted by the United States - does not produce an agreement.  Olmert was striving to reach a document of principles on which he and Abu Mazen would agree to use as the basis for their future negotiations.  Such principles, Makor Rishon reported, included the following:

• the division of Jerusalem into Jewish and Arab cities, and the removal of Israeli sovereignty from the Temple Mount. (As Mayor of Jerusalem in the 1990s, Olmert earned much political capital when he accused his political rival, then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak, of wanting to divide Jerusalem.)  
• the establishment of a Palestinian state on approximately 95% of Judea and Samaria
• "border changes" - i.e., a hand-over of other Israeli territory to make up for three settlement blocs (Ariel, Maaleh Adumim, Gush Etzion) that is to remain in Israeli hands
• Israel's declarative assumption of responsibility for the formation of the Arab refugee problem of 1948, though without operative ramifications

Makor Rishon reported that it was unclear whether the PA had agreed to Israel's cardinal demand that the agreement would represent the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Another version of the above was published by the PA's Maan news agency last week, and included the clause that the evacuation of Judea and Samaria would begin immediately after the summit - just two months from now.  However, this version was denied by both Israel and the PA.

Now, however, Olmert says that no "agreement of principles" at all will be ready in time for the upcoming summit, but rather just a "joint declaration of intentions."  This, then, might not obligate Israel in the future. 

Just in case, however, nationalist camp leaders are calling upon Opposition Leader Binyamin Netanyahu to declare that he will not be bound by Olmert's agreements.  Netanyahu is the current front-runner to be Israel's next Prime Minister whenever elections are ultimately held.  He is being asked to undermine Olmert's plans by going on record as saying he will not fulfill any commitments he feels are dangerous to Israel's existence. 

Netanyahu has not yet made any such statement.

Olmert has said that he will bring any agreement he reaches with Abbas to the government for its approval, and that the Knesset can ask to debate the issue as well.  He did not say whether Knesset approval would be necessary.

On the other hand, it is known that Olmert worked to keep the negotiations as secret as possible, hoping to avoid any public discourse and debate.  For this reason, no rough copies or interim documents were formulated.