Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday urged his Egyptian counterpart to intervene personally to ensure that both Israelis and Palestinian factions adhere to an agreement reached last month, including a pledge of nonviolence. Abbas also said he expects the Palestinian armed groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas to take part in a meeting of Palestinian factions planned for mid-March in Cairo.
Asked about a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last Friday that killed five Israelis, Abbas said, "Undoubtedly, the Tel Aviv operation, for us, was annoying and we have denounced it."
Abbas, on his way from Europe, returned to Sharm el-Sheikh to see the Egyptian leader less than a month after the breakthrough truce with Israel at the resort.
According to The AP, Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said Abbas, at the meetings, "asked Mubarak to intervene personally to continue the implementation of Sharm el-Sheikh understanding."
Abbas and Mubarak also discussed his European tour and the March 15 meeting of Palestinian factions, where the parties are expected to move toward an agreement to halt violence.
