Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas clarified his opposition to unilateral measures during a recent meeting with Shimon Peres, Israel Radio reported Tuesday.
Following a report by Channel 2 television, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed Monday that the two had met in secret the day before in the Jordanian capital of Amman.
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last week outlined his plan for further unilateral withdrawals in the West Bank, following last year's disengagement from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank.
Veteran politician Peres holds the No. 2 slot on Kadima's list of candidates in the upcoming Knesset elections.
Olmert's office said Monday that the two only covered economic issues during their 20-minute meeting. But Channel 2 reported that other issues were discussed as well.
‘This was not a political meeting,’ a senior government source said Monday. ‘They discussed building a special emergency fund for humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population.’
Peres and Abbas apparently talked about Israel-PA relations after Hamas' victory in the January 25 parliamentary elections.
A number of weeks ago, Peres had asked to hold talks with Abbas, but Olmert requested that he put the meeting off.
Peres was in Jordan for a Peres Peace Center conference. He reported the trip in advance to Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. Olmert was not enthused about the meeting, but did not prevent it.
Peres clarified to Olmert that the meeting would not be diplomatic and that he would not act as a representative of the government or of Kadima. Upon his return, Peres informed Olmert of the matters discussed at the meeting.
The Peres-Abbas meeting apparently was meant to attract the support of moderate voters. Earlier this month, Labor Chairman Amir Peretz met with Abbas as part of a series of meetings held with moderate Arab leaders.
Peretz and Abbas agreed that negotiations should be held despite Hamas' election victory. Peretz said Israel would not be able to cooperate with a Hamas-led government, but that dialogue with moderate officials in the PA and Arab world must continue.
‘We have no war with the Arab or Muslim world. We have no war with the Palestinian people. We have a struggle against the terrorists organizations,’ Peretz declared at the press conference in early March.