VOA News
17 Jun 2003, 20:47 UTC
Palestinian leaders spent a day of separate talks with a top U.S. diplomat and senior militant leaders, but none of the parties report significant progress on a deal to stop terrorist attacks against Israel.
U.S. Middle East envoy John Wolf met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Security Chief Mohammed Dahlan Tuesday in Gaza City.
Ambassador Wolf is in Israel and the Palestinian territories with a team of monitors, trying to keep the international road map to peace from falling apart.
The plan includes an end to attacks on Israeli civilians by the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Later, Prime Minister Abbas met with leaders of both Palestinian groups, hoping to convince them to declare a ceasefire.
Hamas had earlier said a ceasefire is impossible while Israel targets its leaders for assassination. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said this week there can be no peace deal until the Palestinians crack down on the militants.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials say Secretary of State Colin Powell has made room in his schedule for a possible visit to Israel Friday to push the road map forward.
The United States developed the peace plan with Russia, the United Nations and European Union.
It envisions a Palestinian state by 2005 and calls on Israel to halt settlement activities.
Also Tuesday, Israel's chief coordinator of activities in the Palestinian territories met with Mr. Dahlan, the Palestinian security chief, on a Palestinian takeover of security in northern Gaza from Israeli troops.
The talks ended with no agreements. More meetings are planned for later this week.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
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