(dpa) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began an unexpected private
meeting in Jerusalem Sunday afternoon, ahead of the Palestinian leader's
planned visit to the United States.
Abbas will hold talks next week with US President George W Bush, whose national
security advisor, Steve Hadley, is expected to arrive in the region later this
week.
Few details of the Jerusalem meeting, said to be looking to advance the peace
process, were made public as per a deal reached between the sides, local media
reported.
The two leaders met last week, but before that had not met in seven weeks,
following a large-scale Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip in February.
After that meeting both sides expressed concern regarding the other's
implementation of commitments, including Israeli settlement activity and
restrictions on movement and Palestinian efforts to crack down on militants in
the West Bank.
Earlier Sunday, a huge blast in Jebaliya refugee camp, east of Gaza City, killed three people Sunday morning, medical officials and local police belonging
to the Hamas movement said.
The police said the explosion was the result of the premature detonation of a
bomb which was being prepared in the house.
The house was severely damaged in the blast.
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