Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert AP PHOTO

In their first meeting on Palestinian soil, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he hopes to launch negotiations "soon" on establishing a Palestinian state, his clearest promise yet to tackle a final peace deal.

The trappings of the Aug. 6 meeting in Jericho were perhaps as important as the content.

Olmert became the first Israeli leader to visit a Palestinian town after seven years of bloody fighting.

Abbas, in turn, gained some stature by hosting Olmert, at least symbolically leveling the uneven relationship of occupier and occupied.