Hamas leaders did not attend the meeting, but Islamic Jihad representatives showed willingness to cooperate with the PLO. Abbas expressed optimism that the two terrorist groups might actually join the PLO.
Both Islamic Jihad and Hamas are violently opposed to Israel, and actively promote the vision of an independent Palestinian state incorporating the territory of the Jewish state.
Abbas said that Islamic Jihad and Hamas members would be able to take part in a meeting of the PLO executive this week, according to Islamic Jihad chief Muhammad Al-Hindi. The official PA news agency WAFA reported that Al-Hindi said that the two Islamist terrorist groups would attend the PLO session "to discuss a basis on which the PLO should be rebuilt, in addition to the diplomatic activities by the brother Abu Mazen in recent days."
The PLO chairmanship is held by Abu Mazen, leader of the constituent Fatah terrorist group since Yasser Arafat's demise.
Following the Gaza meeting on Sunday, Abbas said, "We're continually in contact with our brethren in the Jihad movement and the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas), along with other factions..." As for disarming the terrorists in the PA, Abbas told an Egyptian newspaper earlier this month, "I will not embark on an operation that will lead to a civil war."
In an interview with the Egyptian news agency and printed in the PA newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida in mid-March, Abu Mazen declared, "The goals of the present stage are that by the end of 2005 our people will arrive at the borders of September 2000."
Both Islamic Jihad and Hamas are violently opposed to Israel, and actively promote the vision of an independent Palestinian state incorporating the territory of the Jewish state.
Abbas said that Islamic Jihad and Hamas members would be able to take part in a meeting of the PLO executive this week, according to Islamic Jihad chief Muhammad Al-Hindi. The official PA news agency WAFA reported that Al-Hindi said that the two Islamist terrorist groups would attend the PLO session "to discuss a basis on which the PLO should be rebuilt, in addition to the diplomatic activities by the brother Abu Mazen in recent days."
The PLO chairmanship is held by Abu Mazen, leader of the constituent Fatah terrorist group since Yasser Arafat's demise.
Following the Gaza meeting on Sunday, Abbas said, "We're continually in contact with our brethren in the Jihad movement and the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas), along with other factions..." As for disarming the terrorists in the PA, Abbas told an Egyptian newspaper earlier this month, "I will not embark on an operation that will lead to a civil war."
In an interview with the Egyptian news agency and printed in the PA newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadida in mid-March, Abu Mazen declared, "The goals of the present stage are that by the end of 2005 our people will arrive at the borders of September 2000."