Abbas to press Olmert to end Gaza blockade

Ramallah: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will ask Israel's Ehud Olmert to end a siege on Gaza and accept his offer to control border crossings, Palestinian officials said on Saturday.

The two leaders are expected to meet on Sunday to discuss how to push forward with peace talks after Hamas breached Gaza's border with Egypt.

Abbas will also ask Olmert to lift immediately travel restrictions in the occupied West Bank, officials said.

Senior Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo said talks will also cover the end of a siege in the West Bank, where there are hundreds of Israeli checkpoints.

Newly launched talks have dealt core issues such as borders and the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, but the two leaders remain at odds over the scope of the deal.

Israeli officials said Olmert was seeking a deal that would outline a "framework" for a future Palestinian state while maintaining Israel's security.