Breaking a freeze in diplomatic contacts, Israeli prime minister's senior aide Dov Weisglass met here with Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat on Wednesday, the Army Radio reported.

Senior Israeli and Palestinian officials will meet again next week to prepare for a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Erekat told reporters after the talks.

Abbas' chief of staff Hassan Abu Libdeh also attended the meeting, according to the radio.

The meeting was held after Sharon decided on Wednesday to resumed diplomatic talks with the Palestinian leadership which is exerting intensive efforts to keep calm in the region.

Israel cut off all contacts with the Palestinian National Authority after six Israelis were killed in an attack on the Karni crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip nearly two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Israel has decided to stop tracking and killing Palestinian militants, fulfilling a key Palestinian demand for a truce to end the four-year-old violence, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert also indicated a change in policy when he told the Army Radio that Israel needs to respond to the Palestinian efforts.

"If there is a real change ... this is something we need to relate to," he said.

Source: Xinhua