Egyptians lean heavily on Abbas to stay the course ...

"... The Americans and Palestinians would find Netanyahu's proposal unacceptable, but the ministers are looking for a formula that would not sabotage the direct talks, the official said.

The Palestinian delegation landed in Cairo yesterday ahead of today's talks. Both sides decided not to hold a news conference after the summit. Instead, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit will make a statement and sum up the meeting.

Palestinian source said the Americans were pressing the Palestinians to continue the negotiations at least until the end of September, to try to reach an understanding on borders and let Israel continue building in the areas it will keep under its sovereignty.

The Egyptian foreign minister said yesterday there was no problem with Israel's demand to recognize it as a Jewish state, but the United Nations must be the one to do so...."