Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres may meet next week to try to end nearly a year of bloodshed, a senior Palestinian official said today.
Mr Arafat's adviser Mr Nabil Abu Rdainah said Mr Arafat believed the EU-brokered cease-fire talks needed to be properly prepared to avoid failure. An earlier plan had been to hold them on the sidelines of an economic conference in Italy at the weekend.
A heightened security alert in Jerusalem after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in the Holy City yesterday, wounding 15 people, cast a pall over the latest peace bid, led by EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana.
"President Arafat told Solana he will contact him on Sunday to set the time and venue of a meeting with Peres," Mr Abu Rdainah said.
"The meeting could take place any time after Monday...It is almost certain the meeting will be held in the region," he said.
Another Palestinian official pointed to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Taba and the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip as possible venues. Mr Peres has also said he prefers to hold the talks in the region and away from the media spotlight.