Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas will meet on Sunday ahead of separate meetings with President Bush in Washington, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Friday.

Sharon and Abbas last met on July 1, holding a joint, high-profile, televised press conference -- in Hebrew and Arabic -- prior to the meeting in front of Sharon´s office in Jerusalem.

The sight of Abbas standing beside Sharon got him into trouble with PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, who reportedly called him a traitor to the Palestinian cause. The crisis continued with accusations that Abbas had messed up negotiations with Israel.

Arafat and Abbas have now patched up their differences with Abbas reiterating that Arafat is in charge of negotiations with Israel and security.

Abbas reportedly will meet with Sharon on Sunday before heading to Cairo for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Palestinian sources were quoted as saying in radio reports here. He also will travel to Jordan and Persian Gulf states before going on to Washington.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom also told The New York Times that Sharon and Abbas would meet on Sunday, although the prime minister´s office could not confirm the meeting as of Friday.

Abbas is scheduled to meet with President Bush next Friday in his first White House visit as prime minister.

"The president is committed to his vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, and he looks forward to discussing with Prime Minister Abbas the path forward toward realization of this vision," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said on Thursday.

Sharon is scheduled to meet with Bush in Washington four days later on July 29 to "discuss efforts to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as a range of bilateral and regional issues," McClellan added.

Sharon´s last planned visit to Washington in May was postponed due to a weekend wave of terror attacks that left nine people dead, including seven in a Jerusalem suicide bus bombing.

On Friday, Sharon´s office would not confirm the Bush meeting.

It is unclear whether Abbas will extend his stay in Washington until Sharon arrives and if the two will hold a summit with the president.

Meanwhile, in light of intelligence warnings that Palestinian terrorists intend to abduct Israelis, the Israeli military police has launched a campaign to try to prevent Israeli soldiers from being kidnapped by "hostile forces," Brig.-General Miki Barel, head of military police, said on Friday.

Israeli commandos successfully freed an Israeli taxi driver, who was kidnapped a week ago by Palestinian terrorists, earlier this week.

Soldiers are being warned not to hitchhike and will face a disciplinary hearing if they are caught doing so, the army said. Soldiers in uniform are permitted to use public transportation without charge. (copyright 1998-2003 Cybercast News Service. 07/18/03)