Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accepted an invitation to a summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Egypt next week, senior Palestinian officials said today.
They said Jordanian King Abdullah was also expected to attend the February 8th meeting in the Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, which Mr Sharon's office said was proposed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
"A four-way summit will be held on Tuesday in Egypt to try to advance the peace process. The summit will be attended by Abbas, Sharon, King Abdullah and Mubarak," an official close to the Palestinian president said.
It would be the first Palestinian-Israeli summit after four years of violence. Egyptian officials said it was too early to comment.
Meanwhile Mr Abbas has accepted an invitation to pay an official visit to Iran, a senior Palestinian official said today.
"Abu Mazen has received an invitation to visit Iran. He has accepted the invitation and will decide on the date after he returns home," the Palestinian official said, using Mr Abbas's nickname.
Iran is formally sworn to destroying the Jewish state and over the past decade has avoided official contact with leaders of the Palestinian Authority because it was created under interim peace deals with Israel.
Israel may freeze its hunt for Palestinian militants to boost moderate new Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, officials said today.
Officials said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would convene his inner cabinet tomorrow to weigh a halt to pursuit of Palestinian militants before a first summit with Mr Abbas expected this month after a visit by US Secretary of State Ms Condoleezza Rice.
"We are talking not about granting clemency, but a freeze. A freeze means that everything is temporary," senior Defence Ministry official Mr Amos Gilad told Israel's Army Radio.
"That is, if they resume terror, and the murders and attacks continue, then we will resume vigorous action. Ultimately you need a reliable partner, otherwise there will be no solution."
Israel had earlier refused to back off its demand, enshrined in a US-led peace "road map", for a Palestinian crackdown on factions spearheading a four-year-long uprising.
Some of the militants are in groups sworn to Israel's destruction. But to avoid civil strife, Mr Abbas aims to co-opt rather than try to disarm and jail militants.
He has engaged them in truce talks that have secured a rare calm and prompted Israel to curtail missions to kill or capture militant leaders.
Israeli media said the Shin Bet security service had balked at including militants wanted for deadly attacks in the amnesty, which would be finalised in security talks with Palestinians. "This issue was discussed with the Israeli side and we will hold another meeting tomorrow," Palestinian Negotiations Minister Mr Saeb Erekat told reporters in the West Bank.