COLLINS: A show of support in the Mideast. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The goal, building support for the Abbas government. It is in control of the West Bank, but Hamas controls Gaza. Our Atika Shubert is in Jerusalem now with the latest. Good morning to you, Atika.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. Well, President Abbas is desperate to consolidate power over the West Bank, particularly over the various militant and political groups there. And so Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has offered to release 250 Palestinian prisoners, but also grant amnesty to more than 100 Palestinian militants, all to help President Abbas get his political house in order. But it's a very controversial policy here in Israel. Critics say it's too much of a security risk and that President Abbas is too weak of a political leader -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Any idea, Atika, what the people of these countries think of this? Is this a significant step forward, or obviously a lot more work to be done?</s>SHUBERT: There's still a lot more work that needs to be done. And it's a real question of what the Palestinian public will think. They're normally very skeptical of any Israeli promises. And Hamas is already calling the Palestinian president a collaborator for accepting this deal. So it's really just a small step at this point.</s>COLLINS: All right. We'll continue to watch this one, alongside you. Thanks so much. Atika Shubert, live from Jerusalem this morning.</s>HARRIS: Well, no one is calling this second event in Japan an aftershock anymore. A second earthquake as powerful certainly as the first, Chad Myers is following that for us in the severe weather center.</s>COLLINS: Well, getting sick after getting a Taste of Chicago. Salmonella poisoning and what you need to know about food safety wherever you live.</s>HARRIS: When a javelin toss goes off course, look out. An athlete stabbed in the back. Boy, we'll tell now how this happened.
Building Support for Abbas Government