Abbas seeks Israel summit before end of year

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas today said he hopes to hold a long-awaited summit with Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert by the end of the year.

Abbas spoke at a news conference with the visiting Italian foreign minister, Massimo D'Alema.

The two men have expressed readiness to hold their first summit for months but preparations have bogged down over disagreements over the agenda.

Abbas has said he wants Israel to promise to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Olmert has ruled out a prisoner release until Hamas-linked militants free an Israeli soldier they captured last June.