Erekat: No fall-out with Fayyad

PLO official Saeb Erekat on Sunday denied media reports that a feud with PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad had caused the premier to skip a meeting with his Israeli counterpart two weeks ago. London-based newspaper Al-Hayat reported that Fayyad dropped out of the delegation meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month due to a disagreement with Erekat. Fayyad was unhappy that the former PLO chief negotiator refused to update him and PLO secretary-general Yasser Abed Rabbo on the outcome of his latest talks with Netanyahu adviser Yitzhak Molcho, the report said. Erekat slammed the report as "mean", questioning why it was published without contacting him or Fayyad. The PLO official delivered a letter from President Mahmoud Abbas to Netanyahu on April 17 without Fayyad or Abed Rabbo, who had both been slated to participate. Another London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported last week that Abbas was shunning Fayyad in response, and a Fatah website said Wednesday that Abed Rabbo was removed from his post as head of the PA official broadcasting organization. Erekat said an expected full cabinet reshuffle will take place once Abbas returns from a tour of north Africa.