[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

Tough call? The Palestinians say Jerusalem was discussed while an Israeli
"political source" claims it wasn't.

Tough call? OK. If you think that the Israeli "political source" is more
reliable on this item than Ahmed Qureia then there is a bridge on sale in
Brooklyn at a special price just for you.]

#1 The truth?
Palestinians: Olmert, Abbas discussed Jerusalem issue
Ali Waked YNE Published: 02.19.08, 23:27 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3508939,00.html

Chief Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qureia commented Tuesday on the meeting
between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
saying the meeting addressed all issues, including Jerusalem.

Sources in the Palestinian negotiating team said all the final settlement's
issues will be discussed in the negotiations and that the inner constraint
of the Israeli government will not impair the talks.

#2 The lie that an Israeli official told reporters?

Olmert, Abbas meet; Jerusalem not discussed
PM says Palestinians did not bring up postponement of talks on Jerusalem
during meeting
Roni Sofer YNET Published: 02.19.08, 21:03 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3508908,00.html

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met Tuesday evening with Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas at the PM's Jerusalem residence. Notably, the Palestinians did
not bring up the issue of the postponement of talks on the status of
Jerusalem. However, the two sides were reportedly able to make some progress
by the end of the meeting.

"The issue of postponing the discussion on Jerusalem to the end of
negotiations was not brought up in talks between me and Abbas," Olmert said
following the meeting. He also noted that "Israel is obligated to prevent a
humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, but it is not obligated to open the
(Gaza) crossings."

Addressing the question of Jerusalem, a political source made it clear that
"the issue was not brought up this evening, and you may draw any conclusion
you wish. The prime minister's position is that the issue of Jerusalem is
the most problematic. If this issue is brought up now, the negotiations will
end."

'Aiming for deal by end of 2008'

Another political source said that "what is clear is that we are aiming for
an agreement by the end of 2008 that would be acceptable to the
international community and serve as a fundamental, constitutive document."

Turning his attention to the pessimism expressed by the Palestinian prime
minister earlier Tuesday on the prospects of a peace deal, the source said
that "Salam Fayyad indeed said this morning that an agreement will not be
reached by the end of 2008, but Abbas does not necessarily agree with him.

While addressing North American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem earlier, Fayyad
said "not enough has happened" since a US-hosted Middle East peace
conference in November to suggest a treaty can be reached in the next 11
months.

"If indeed this is going to happen, the pace has to be stepped up and
stepped up significantly," he said.

Reuters contributed to the story