US Meets with the Post-Arafat Administration

During his visit, Powell will meet the moderate leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Mahmoud Abbas, and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurey.

The Israeli administration indicated that it would restart negotiations and end its ‘unilateral’ plan if the new Palestinian administration makes an effort to end the violence that began four years ago. Mark Regev, A Spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, said that Israel expects the Palestinian administration to fulfill its obligations toward the "Road Map".

Mahmoud Abbas said that the security position in the Palestinian territories was chaotic and that it was an emergency situation. Authorities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad condemned the incidents occurred in Gaza the other day.