国际英语新闻：Netanyahu's invitation to Abbas "propaganda": Palestinian official

RAMALLAH, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's invitation to President Mahmoud Abbas for a meeting is nothing more than "propaganda", a Palestinian official said Thursday.

"Netanyahu's invitation is meant to cover his practices in Jerusalem," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told the voice of Palestine Radio.

Netanyahu, after meeting with visiting U.S. Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell on Wednesday, extended an invitation to Abbas for a meeting in Jerusalem.

Palestinians and Israelis in May kicked off indirect talks brokered by the United States, aiming to resume direct negotiations that came to a halt when Israel launched a military operation on the Gaza Strip in December 2008 with the intention to end the Hamas rule of the enclave.

Commenting on Israel's arrest of a Hamas-affiliated lawmaker and the eviction order, Erekat said the Jewish state has no right to expel any legislator because of their political affiliation.

The Israeli police Wednesday arrested Mohammed Abu Teir representing Jerusalem in the Palestinian parliament, taking him to an undisclosed spot.

Earlier in June, the Israeli authorities had ordered four Hamas- affiliated legislators living in Jerusalem to leave the city by the end of the month.

Israel labelled the Islamic Hamas movement a terrorist organization for carrying