Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas told the PLO’s top decision-making body today that unity government talks with Hamas were dead and he blamed the radical Islamic group for their collapse, participants in the meeting said.

ARAB leaders yesterday endorsed US President George Bush’s road map to peace in the Middle East and called on Israel to live up to its side of the deal.

Israel today released the oldest and longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in a goodwill gesture ahead of a peace summit with the Palestinians and US President George Bush.

SEVEN Palestinians were killed yesterday five in a mysterious explosion and two by Israeli army fire, while Yasser Arafat affirmed in a letter to Britain’s prime minister Tony Blair that he will honour a pledge to appoint a prime minister.