Egypt intelligence chief meets with Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader

Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman met with Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Abdullah Shallah in effort to reconcile feuding Palestinian factions, Egypt's official news agency MENA reported Monday night. Suleiman's discussions with the Islamic Jihad leader came as part of a push over the next few weeks to end Palestinian infighting, according to MENA, a day before Suleiman was set to meet with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, also to discuss the Palestinian issue. MENA added that Egypt hoped the series of bilateral meetings with Palestinian leaders would climax in talks involving all factions after the holy month of Ramadan, which starts next week.