syriastew.com

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.