Meeting between Abbas and Netanyahu proposed
Published yesterday (updated) 14/06/2012 20:30
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=495244

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Fatah leader Yasser Abed Rabbo on Thursday said a
meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President
Mahmoud Abbas has been discussed.

Abed Rabbo, secretary-general of Fatah's executive council, told Voice of
Palestine radio that Israel had not made any political or practical
arrangements for the meeting.

Israel must meet requirements and take practical steps before such a meeting
could take place, Abed Rabbo said, adding that communications were ongoing
to reduce tensions and create a positive atmosphere for talks.

Palestinian officials are wary of maintaining the status-quo at the expense
of progress, he added.

"What we're afraid of is that this process exists to contain any crisis that
may occur and not to push the political process forward."

Meanwhile, Abed Rabbo condemned a speech by Hamas Interior Minister Fathi
Hammad in Gaza on Wednesday.

At a police graduation ceremony, Hammad insisted there would be "no peace
with secularism" and said Islamic rule would prevail, an apparent jibe at
Hamas' secular rivals Fatah.

Abed Rabbo accused Hammad of "extreme hallucinations" and said the minister
was trying to create a divide between religious and secular Palestinians.

He also accused Hammad of trying to portray all those who did not follow
Hamas' idea of religion as infidels.