Quds city, Feb 2, SPA -- Egypt has offered to host an Israeli-Palestinian summit next week, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has accepted the invitation, Sharon's office announced Wednesday. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was en route from Turkey to Jordan and could not immediately be reached for comment. Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad told The Associated Press it is too early to confirm or deny such an invitation had been issued. Sharon's announcement came after Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman held an unexpected meeting with Sharon in Al-Quds city on Wednesday. Egypt is offering to host the summit on Tuesday in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Sharon's office said. Abbas and Sharon had tentatively planned to meet Tuesday, though no time or place had been set yet. Israel's Security Cabinet was to meet Thursday to approve a series of gestures toward the Palestinians, including a limited prisoner release and a gradual handover of several West Bank towns to Palestinian control. The Cabinet meeting was to be followed by talks between Sharon and Abbas aides on finalizing an agenda for the summit. The Palestinians have said they want the summit to be well prepared and to yield results. With Egypt offering to play host, there was a greater probability that the summit would take place. Neither Israel nor the Palestinians would want to offend Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a key mediator.
