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Israeli, Palestinian hold secret talks in Qatar, official says
Jerusalem, Oct 02: An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recently held secret talks with a senior Palestinian leader in the gulf state of Qatar, an Israeli government official said today.
Jerusalem, Oct 02: An adviser to Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon recently held secret talks with a senior
Palestinian leader in the gulf state of Qatar, an Israeli
government official said today.
Ephraim Halevy, who was the head of the Mossad spy
service until recently, and is now a Sharon adviser and head
of the National Security Council, met the Palestinian official
for talks on how to revive peace talks that collapsed in early
2001 amid fighting, said the Israeli official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity. He refused to name the Palestinian
official was.
The Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported Halevy met
Mahmoud Abbas, Yasser Arafat's deputy in the Palestine
Liberation Organisation and a leading peace negotiator, in
Qatar six weeks ago.
Abbas was in qatar a few days ago, but palestinian officials said they could not confirm that he met halevy.
Abbas denied he held talks with Halevy.
Abbas was in qatar a few days ago, but palestinian officials said they could not confirm that he met halevy.
Abbas denied he held talks with Halevy.
The Israeli newspaper said Halevy presented to Abbas a
message from Sharon saying Israel is interested in a long-term
deal with the Palestinians that would begin with an end to
"terror" and the dismantlement of Arafat's "terror and
financial mechansims."
Bureau Report