Abbas talks peace with Fatah ahead of summit

The summit, to be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesday, has fuelled hopes that the Middle East peace process is moving back on track and coincides with a crucial visit to the region by new US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

It will be the first time top Israeli and Palestinian leaders have met since 2000, with Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying Israel was "strong enough to take risks" in its negotiations with the Palestinians.

Israeli public radio said top Sharon adviser Dov Weisglass was to travel to Cairo Sunday to establish the common ground between Israel and the Palestinians ahead of the summit.

Meanwhile, Abbas was holding talks with more than 100 members of his own Fatah party who sit on the revolutionary council, while a top aide said the aim of the summit was to declare a mutual ceasefire between the two sides.

"The revolutionary council of Fatah is holding an important meeting in the presence of Abu Mazen (Abbas) to discuss the summit, political and security questions and the results of contacts with Israel," said Palestinian Authority spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina.

"We intend to work so that a mutual ceasefire can be declared between the Palestinians and Israelis at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit," he said.

"We are also demanding the liberation of 8,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and hope to be able to sort out the differences in this respect in 48 hours," he added.

A group of senior Israeli ministers has approved the release of 900 Palestinian prisoners, with the first 500 to be freed soon after the summit. It has also okayed an army pullback from five West Bank cities and the transfer of security control to the Palestinians.

But the Palestinians have expressed disappointment at the prisoner offer, both in terms of numbers and criteria. In particular, they are pushing for the release of those jailed before the 1993 Oslo accords.

Abbas has publicly called for an end to the armed struggle against Israel while seeking to seal a ceasefire by militant groups, earning praise for his security clampdown from leading Israeli officials.