JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sat down together Tuesday night to discuss their push to forge a peace agreement by the end of the year even as the Israeli leader prepares to leave office.
The talks came a day before Olmert’s Kadima Party chooses a new leader in a process that could put peace efforts on hold for months. Olmert says he will resign over corruption allegations after today’s ballot, though he could remain in office until next year if his resignation leads to new national elections.
Internal Palestinian violence in Gaza between the ruling Islamic Hamas and an outlaw clan on Tuesday underlined a basic problem facing Abbas and Olmert — Abbas rules only the West Bank. His Fatah forces were expelled from Gaza by Hamas last year. Israel believes no accord can be implemented until Abbas regains control of Gaza.
The overnight violence, which left 11 dead and more than 40 wounded, showed the extent to which Gaza has become a difficult-to-rule armed camp of competing forces. Two bystanders, including a boy, were among the dead in the clash.
