Jerusalem, May 18: Holding their highest level negotiations in almost three years, Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers have met here to discuss the recently-unveiled Middle East peace roadmap even as violence escalated further in West Bank and Gaza Strip. There was no significant progress reported during the three-hour meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), but the two leaders agreed to meet again after Sharon returns from his US visit this week, Israeli sources said.

Just before the meeting started, a Palestinian suicide bomber killed two Israelis in the West Bank city of Hebron. While the meeting was on, Israeli troops shot dead two armed Palestinians at Shearei Tikwah.

Sharp disagreements emerged from the meeting with the two sides divided over the road map devised jointly by the United States, United Nations, Russia and the European Union.

The Palestinians have said that they accept the plan unconditionally, but Israel says it reserves the right to request changes to the internationally-backed plan. A statement from Abbas' office said the Palestinian Prime Minister asked Sharon to halt military operations; allow Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat freedom of movement; and lifting travel restrictions in the West Bank.

The Israeli statement after the meeting spoke only of the need to stop Palestinian attacks. The Palestinian delegation asked Sharon to accept the road map, which envisages the setting up of a Palestinian state by the end of 2005.

Yesterday's was the first such summit since the current Palestinian Intifada started in September 2000.

Bureau Report