The PA is also facing a division in its ranks as polls reveal that jailed terrorist Marwan Barghouti received more than 20% support, reducing the front-running Fatah candidate's edge.
PA prime minister Ahmed Qurei is scheduled to travel to Syria Monday to enlist Syrian support in advance of planned talks with Israel as well as to request that the PLO be allowed to reopen its Damascus embassy. Qurei has already enlisted the support of Egypt, which is actively trying to build up world support for the PA.
Qurei also severely criticized Israel for killing a Hamas terrorist leader Saturday, charging Israel with acting in bad faith towards "revival of the peace process."
In another development, there were conflicting reports concerning a cease-fire against Israel from the Hamas terrorist organization Saturday. Hamas officials in Lebanon rejected reports by its leaders in Gaza that the terrorists would lay down arms in exchange for Israel's return to its 1967 borders.
Hamas has rejected any recognition of Israel in the past and following the objections from the Hamas leader in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, the Gaza Hamas leader backed down from his earlier statement. "It's too early to talk about a cease fire," said Hassan Yousef.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that the leading Fatah party candidate, Abu Mazen, is beginning to face opposition. His previous 70% margin has been cut to less than 60% following Barghouti's entrance in the Jan. 9 elections to succeed Yasser Arafat.
PA prime minister Ahmed Qurei is scheduled to travel to Syria Monday to enlist Syrian support in advance of planned talks with Israel as well as to request that the PLO be allowed to reopen its Damascus embassy. Qurei has already enlisted the support of Egypt, which is actively trying to build up world support for the PA.
Qurei also severely criticized Israel for killing a Hamas terrorist leader Saturday, charging Israel with acting in bad faith towards "revival of the peace process."
In another development, there were conflicting reports concerning a cease-fire against Israel from the Hamas terrorist organization Saturday. Hamas officials in Lebanon rejected reports by its leaders in Gaza that the terrorists would lay down arms in exchange for Israel's return to its 1967 borders.
Hamas has rejected any recognition of Israel in the past and following the objections from the Hamas leader in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, the Gaza Hamas leader backed down from his earlier statement. "It's too early to talk about a cease fire," said Hassan Yousef.
Meanwhile, a new poll shows that the leading Fatah party candidate, Abu Mazen, is beginning to face opposition. His previous 70% margin has been cut to less than 60% following Barghouti's entrance in the Jan. 9 elections to succeed Yasser Arafat.