The radio gave no further details on the proposed meeting, which comes the day after Mofaz accused Palestinian militant groups of stepping up efforts to attack Israel since Abbas' appointment last Tuesday on a platform of reining in the 31-month intifada.

Mofaz, a staunch right-winger, has appointed a special defense ministry team, headed by General Amos Gilad, to lead security discussions with the Palestinians as they wrangle over the US-backed "roadmap" for peace.

The plan -- drafted by Washington, Russia, the European Union, and United Nations -- calls for the phased creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 as the Palestinians move to crack down on militant groups and Israel dismantles Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

Israel expects Dahlan, a Gaza native, to tackle Islamic radicals Hamas and Islamic Jihad and other groups as a pre-condition for any movement on the roadmap, which Washington officially unveiled last Wednesday.

On Sunday, public radio reported Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could hold talks with Abbas shortly.

US Middle East envoy William Burns arrived in Israel Sunday to meet officials from both Israel and the Palestinian administration in order to promote the plan.

He was to see Abbas Monday.

SPACE.WIRE