Abbas left his Ramallah headquarters on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the holiday in the Gaza Strip, his first visit to the tumultuous Gaza Strip since a deadly outbreak of factional violence. He is also expected to attend ceremonies in Gaza over the weekend celebrating the anniversary of the founding of his Fatah faction.
Abbas claimed that Olmert had promised him during their meeting a week ago that he would release PA terrorists held in Israeli jails as a gesture of support for the embattled PA leader, as well as several other concessions. Israel refused on Friday to release the prisoners, however. Olmert insisted that IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit, held hostage by his Hamas terrorist captors, be freed before any PA terrorists are released.
"Right now, it's not on the agenda," a spokesperson for Olmert said Friday. Cabinet minister Ze’ev Boim added that a release "must not happen today because it would be misinterpreted.”
Surprisingly, Shalit's father, Noam, said he supported the prisoner release before Eid al Adha. "I thought it might generate some positive momentum toward a final deal to free Gilad and other prisoners," he told Israel Radio.
Shalit's parents also published an open letter to their son Friday in Arabic in the daily Al-Quds newspaper. "We will do everything so that your release and that of the Palestinian prisoners will take place soon," Shalit’s mother and father said in the letter. "We hope the men of the Palestinian organization are generous enough to show you this letter from your parents, just as we hope that Israeli authorities treat the Palestinian prisoners well and allow them to receive and send letters to their parents."
Meanwhile, Channel Ten reported on Friday night that top officials in Fatah are considering running a candidate other than Abbas, the current PA chairman as well as the Fatah faction leader, despite the fact that the early elections were initiated by Abbas himself. Senior faction members are concerned that Abbas may not retain enough popularity to beat the Hamas terrorist organization that won control of the government by a landslide victory during the elections a year ago.
Their Number One choice thus far is arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is currently serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for his role in the murder of over 30 Israeli Jews. If he is elected, Fatah officials contend that Israel will have no choice but to release him. Israel has said Barghouti will never be freed.
Abbas claimed that Olmert had promised him during their meeting a week ago that he would release PA terrorists held in Israeli jails as a gesture of support for the embattled PA leader, as well as several other concessions. Israel refused on Friday to release the prisoners, however. Olmert insisted that IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit, held hostage by his Hamas terrorist captors, be freed before any PA terrorists are released.
"Right now, it's not on the agenda," a spokesperson for Olmert said Friday. Cabinet minister Ze’ev Boim added that a release "must not happen today because it would be misinterpreted.”
Surprisingly, Shalit's father, Noam, said he supported the prisoner release before Eid al Adha. "I thought it might generate some positive momentum toward a final deal to free Gilad and other prisoners," he told Israel Radio.
Shalit's parents also published an open letter to their son Friday in Arabic in the daily Al-Quds newspaper. "We will do everything so that your release and that of the Palestinian prisoners will take place soon," Shalit’s mother and father said in the letter. "We hope the men of the Palestinian organization are generous enough to show you this letter from your parents, just as we hope that Israeli authorities treat the Palestinian prisoners well and allow them to receive and send letters to their parents."
Meanwhile, Channel Ten reported on Friday night that top officials in Fatah are considering running a candidate other than Abbas, the current PA chairman as well as the Fatah faction leader, despite the fact that the early elections were initiated by Abbas himself. Senior faction members are concerned that Abbas may not retain enough popularity to beat the Hamas terrorist organization that won control of the government by a landslide victory during the elections a year ago.
Their Number One choice thus far is arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is currently serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for his role in the murder of over 30 Israeli Jews. If he is elected, Fatah officials contend that Israel will have no choice but to release him. Israel has said Barghouti will never be freed.