Jerusalem ? Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday he would ease travel restrictions on Palestinians and free some prisoners, while insisting on a swift crackdown on violent groups in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The meeting — the second between Sharon and Abbas in two weeks — was called to discuss disagreements about security and Palestinian statehood that could complicate a three-way summit next week in Jordan with President Bush.

Before that summit, Bush will meet with Arab leaders in Egypt to enlist their support. The president said he would “look at these leaders in the eye and say, I believe peace is possible, and I’m going to work to peace. And this isn’t just a visit in which you won’t hear from me again. I believe peace is necessary and possible.” His comments came in an interview with the Dubai-based Arabic satellite channel, Al Arabiya.

The Sharon-Abbas meeting came after the Islamic militant group Hamas held out the possibility of a cease-fire to end attacks that have killed hundreds of Israelis in 32 months of violence.

Israel has demanded the Palestinians dismantle the militant groups in accordance with the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan. Abbas has said he prefers to use persuasion to stop attacks. There was no indication the two sides resolved that disagreement, which could be a key stumbling block in peace negotiations.

In the nearly three-hour meeting Thursday night, Sharon told Abbas that as a good faith measure he would unilaterally end the 2-week-old closure on the West Bank and allow 25,000 Palestinian workers to enter Israel. Israel also would ease some roadblocks around Palestinian towns and release some prisoners, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Among those prisoners were Khaled Abu Sukar, the oldest Palestinian held by the Israelis, and Tayseer Khaled, a PLO member.