Israeli and Palestinian officials to meet in Britain

Senior Israeli and Palestinian officials are scheduled to meet in Britain next week for private talks, the first such contact between the two sides since the death of Yasser Arafat.

Among the Israeli politicians invited to attend the two day event are Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s son, Omri Sharon, Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim and opposition Labour Party MP Yitzhak Herzog, according to a source.

Another source said Arafat’s security adviser, Jibril Rajoub, had been approached to attend the session. Given the build up to January’s Palestinian presidential election, it was unclear who would attend on the Palestinian side.

The event, to be held at Ditchley Park, a Georgian mansion near Oxford, has been organised by Labour Friends of Israel.

The group declined to comment on the event, but confirmed that “people from the region” had been invited to attend.

A source stressed the event was informal and did not represent actual negotiations.

“It is just another very positive initiative, bringing together Israelis and Palestinians,” said the source. The source said the meeting would ”add to the positive atmosphere” and contribute to ”positive momentum and better understanding.”

Omri Sharon is a member of the ruling Likud Party and has met on occasions with Arafat or his deputies at his father’s behest. He met with Rajoub at Ditchley Park a year ago.

British officials and MPs are also likely to attend the meeting.