Israeli and Palestinian officials have been discussing over the past few days the possibility of enableing PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas to make an election campaign visit to occupied East Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Compound next week. According to Haaretz, the visit would come several days before the January 9 elections in the Palestinian Authority.
Senior Fatah sources in the Jerusalem area disclosed to Haaretz the content of the talks and confirmed that the two sides discussed a possible Abbas visit to "al-Haram al-Sharif." The Tel Aviv-based newspaper said the decision to allow Abbas into Jerusalem is in the hands of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
In the past, Israel prevented Yasser Arafat from visiting Jerusalem.
