Report: PA allowed to open Gaza airport

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Israel Radio said Tuesday evening that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave PA leader Mahmoud Abbas permission to begin preparations for re-opening the Gaza air and sea ports.

The possibility of this development was first reported by The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

The long-anticipated meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas kicked off Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at the prime minister's Jerusalem offices and ended roughly two hours later. The meeting has been described by officials as "spartan," and "tense". The meeting was closed to reporters and the public, and security forces had blocked off streets around the entire circumference of Sharon's office.

On the Israeli side, PMO Dir.-Gen. Ilan Cohen, Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon, Sharon's diplomatic adviser Shalom Turgeman and PMO spokesman Asi Shariv were among the participants. Representing the Palestinians alongside Abbas were PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and PA Minister of Civilian Affairs Muhammad Dahlan.

The leaders were expected to discuss the recent escalation in violence, Israel's impending withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, as well as the possible reopening of Gaza's airport. Ahead of the summit, Israeli officials said Israel would allow the Palestinian Authority to reopen the airport if it cracks down on terrorists.

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