(IsraelNN.com) Preparations for the US-sponsored Middle East summit in Washington six weeks from now are underway, as PA seeks Arab unity - in vain.

"Over 36 countries are expected to attend" the Middle East summit called by U.S. President George Bush, Mahmoud Abbas told reporters in Cairo.  Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, the Palestinian Authority chief who also heads the Fatah terrorist organization, was in Cairo coordinating plans with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in anticipation of the summit.

Abbas is seeking Arab unity in setting pre-summit expectations for achievements at the summit.  However, while Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Morocco are sure to attend, Syria now says it will not take part unless its "concerns" - namely, Israel's return of the Golan Heights - are addressed.  It is still not clear what Saudi Arabia will do. 

Timed to Coincide with Jewish Summit
The summit will be launched by Pres. Bush on Nov. 15 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.  Investigative journalist David Bedein of Jerusalem notes that this date coincides with the annual Jewish get-together of more than 3,000 well-organized Jewish community councils and Jewish federations from all over the United States. The event, known as the UJC (United Jewish Communities) General Assembly, is set this year for Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 13-15.

Representatives of the Bush administration and the Israeli government are scheduled to address the assembly on Nov. 14, hoping to thus drum up grassroots enthusiasm amongst American Jews for the summit.

It is not clear whether the summit will be held on the level of Foreign Ministers, or perhaps on a Prime Ministerial level.  It will be chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, but President Bush is expected to attend and play an active role in the talks.

Bedein reports that King Abdullah of Jordan hinted this week that though he intends to send his foreign minister, his prime minister will attend "if it becomes evident that the conference is going to deal with substantive issues."  Egypt is taking a similar stance. 

General or Specific?
While Israel is anxious to talk only in general terms regarding a final-status arrangement, fearing that the PA will take advantage of more specific concessions to demand even more, Abbas has called upon all Arab leaders to specify precise goals that should be aimed for at the summit.

Abbas told Mubarak that he had met with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert five times lately, but that "I cannot say we have been negotiating.  We have been exploring the issues."

Livni Anxious for Palestinian State
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has made it quite clear that she feels the goal of the summit should be the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria.  "Just like Israel is the homeland of the Jewish nation," she told the United Nations on Monday, "so will Palestine be the homeland and national answer for the Palestinian nation - including the refugees."

Abbas Lies
Abbas told the Washington Post earlier this week that his security forces are cooperating with Israel in fighting the Kassam rocket launchers.  "Last night," Abbas said, "[our security forces] seized two rockets. We handed [them] over to the Israelis. We are very worried about these deeds and I think we can put an end to all this. Our security apparatus is ready to stop all kinds of violence."  However, Khaled Abu Toameh of the Jerusalem Post reported the same day that Abbas was not being entirely truthful: "It later turned out that the 'rockets' [seized by the PA] were simple pipes that had been set up by children who were trying to imitate Hamas." Both Palestinian and Israeli security sources confirm that the Palestinian Authority did not seize any rockets or rocket launchers, Bedein concludes.