Abbas rejects Olmert's idea

WEST BANK: President Mahmoud Abbas told Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at a summit on Sunday he was still committed to a comprehensive peace deal but ruled out any partial agreement, a Palestinian negotiator said.

Saeb Erekat told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah that Abbas had told Olmert during talks in Jerusalem Palestinians "will not be part of any interim agreement. Either everything will be agreed or nothing will be agreed."

Ahead of the meeting in Jerusalem, Olmert aides said the Israeli leader, poised to resign next month in a graft scandal, planned to ask Abbas to draft a joint document of understandings before his Kadima party votes on Sept. 17 to name his successor.

Reuters