November 5, 2007 (LPAC)--An unnamed Palestinian source told the Israeli online daily, Ynet.com (published by Yediot Aharanot), that Palestinian President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) would call off the Annapolis peace meeting unless U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presents the Palestinians with a "reasonable formula" for a joint Palestinian-Israeli success. He also said it was very likely that the meeting would have to be postponed. There has been no progress on a proposed declaration of principles and that Abu Mazen therefore would like to postpone the meeting.

"However, if we do have to participate, we expect the US and the Quartet to pressure Israel heavily, so as not to allow the summit to hurt Abbas' image or become a weapon in the Palestinian opposition hands. If the conference fails, this would be the last nail in the coffin of negotiations. The public's faith in the diplomatic process is is nonexistent as it is, and any failure in the summit would turn the process into a corpse," the source said. "Therefore, it's better to cancel the conference than to hold a conference that would end in failure."