Syria won’t hold anti-Palestinian Authority conference

In response to outside pressure, Syria has forbidden a summit of Palestinian factions that was scheduled to be held in Damascus at the same time as the Annapolis Peace Conference. The factions included members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, which opposes the leadership of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Both groups are on the US Department of State’s list of terrorist organizations.

Abbas is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Condoleeza Rice in Annapolis. The three will be attempting to reinitiate the “Roadmap to Peace”, a plan co-created in 2003 by the US, Europe and the UN.

Palestinian Authority to Syria: Don’t host HAMAS meeting

The Palestinian Authority travelled to Damascus on Sunday to urge Syria not to host a gathering involving Hamas and others opposed to a peace conference with Israel to be held soon in the United States.

“Hosting this meeting in Damascus would deepen Palestinian divisions and harm Arab efforts to overcome the crisis that led to the separation of Gaza and the West Bank”, said Saleh Ra-Fat, one of three envoys sent by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas ran President Abbas’ forces out of the Gaza Strip in June.  Several Hamas leaders are living in Syria in exile.