Palestinian leadership convenes in Ramallah

The Palestinian leadership convened its weekly meeting yesterday in Ramallah, headed by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. They discussed the latest political developments in light of the current Palestinian - Israeli negotiations in the USA and the results of the meeting between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Arafat in Cairo in last Wednesday as well as the visit of Pope John Paul II of the Vatican to the Palestinian lands. The leadership welcomed the pope's visit to the area, saying it supports the Palestinian right to declare the establishment of an independent state in September.