Israel-Palestine summit date set

The Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers have agreed to hold a long-delayed summit next Tuesday, their first meeting since the Palestinian leader took office in October.

The summit will address several issues including a proposed Israeli pullout from Gaza and efforts to restart the road map peace plan, senior officials from both sides said.

However, Hassan Abu Libdeh, an adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, said the date was not definite and will depend on the outcome of a preparatory meeting on Sunday between the leaders’ aides.

“We are discussing various issues and if we agree on these issues then there will be no obstacles to a meeting,” he said.

Israeli media reported the main topic at the summit would be premier Ariel Sharon’s plan to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip, a proposal that could include the removal of most Jewish settlements in the coastal area.

Qureia and Sharon have delayed meeting for months. Qureia has said he wanted a summit to yield results, such as an easing of restrictions on Palestinians. It was not immediately clear whether Sharon had given new assurances to the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, a key adviser on Israel’s West Bank separation barrier, the government had decided against building a section of the contentious structure that would encircle Palestinians, another sign Israel is backing down on its original plans for the barrier.

Dany Tirza, Sharon’s top adviser on the barrier, said the government had decided against putting up a fence in the Jordan Valley on the eastern section of the West Bank “because of the diplomatic damage” it would cause.