The Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization convened in Gaza on February 2 to assess the current situation in the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and a possible date for independent state.

The meeting, chaired by Palestinian National Council chairman Selim Zanoun, is to mainly discuss the final-status talks with Israel and issues related to a planned independent Palestinian state, including a date for statehood declaration, constitution, and laws for electing parliament that will replace the National Council and the Legislative Council.

The Palestinian National Authority Chairman, who is also chairman of the Central Council, and over 100 members of PLO's different factions, attended the meeting.

The Popular Front and the pro-Syria Commandos Group did not show up.

The Central Council had invited Palestinian militant groups Hamas and the Islamic Jihad to attend the meeting as observers, but the invitation was declined.

The spiritual leader and founder of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ahmad Yassin attended PCC's meeting last April as an observer.

The Islamic National Salvation Party was represented at the meeting for the first time after several years of boycott while the Democratic Front and the Popular Front are present at the meeting for the second time.