This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8268095.stm

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 14 Version 15
Obama calls for Mid-East urgency Obama calls for Mid-East urgency
(about 1 hour later)
US President Barack Obama has called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to act with a "sense of urgency" in restarting stalled peace talks.US President Barack Obama has called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to act with a "sense of urgency" in restarting stalled peace talks.
Mr Obama was speaking in New York where he was hosting tri-lateral talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.Mr Obama was speaking in New York where he was hosting tri-lateral talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Each side has so far blamed the other for blocking the initiative.Each side has so far blamed the other for blocking the initiative.
Israel has rejected US and Palestinian demands for a total freeze before a new round of talks can take place. Israel has rejected US and Palestinian demands for a total settlement freeze before new talks can take place.
The meeting brought Mr Netanyahu and Mr Abbas together for the first time since Mr Netanyahu came to office in March. The meeting brought the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for the first time since Mr Netanyahu came to office in March.
Mr Obama - who has defined peace between Israel and the Palestinians as a "national interest" of the US - first met each leader separately, before hosting trilateral talks. Mr Obama - who has defined peace between Israel and the Palestinians as a "national interest" of the US - first met each leader separately in what he described as "frank but productive" talks.
But the BBC's Jeremy Bowen in New York says it appears that the US president's hopes for peace in the Middle East remain gridlocked for now. He then hosted the trilateral meeting, telling reporters: "Permanent status negotiations must begin and begin soon."
"It is past time to talk about starting negotiations. It is time to move forward," he said.
He praised "progress" between the Israelis and Palestinians since he took office in late January but said all parties "still have much further to go".
"Despite all the obstacles, all the history, all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward."
Low expectations
The BBC's Jeremy Bowen in New York says Mr Obama had hoped to launch new talks at the UN General Assembly in New York, but it appears his hopes for peace in the Middle East remain gridlocked for now.
This is a serious and potentially humiliating setback for him, our correspondent says.
Palestinian views on summit
Mr Obama needs to find a way to turn the New York meetings into more than photo opportunities, as he can not afford to let his ambitious plans for the Middle East fall apart so soon, our correspondent adds.
Prior to the meeting, the White House had been keen to play down its expectations.
"We're looking to continue to build on progress," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
But he added that there were "no grand expectations out of just one meeting except to continue... the hard work, day-to-day diplomacy that has to be done to seek a lasting peace".
Israeli and Palestinian participants had also said they did not expect many concrete developments to emerge from the meeting.
Israeli government secretary Zvi Herzog said it was "a step in the right direction", but that conditions were "not ripe for a formal re-launch of negotiations".
Last week, a senior Palestinian official told AFP news agency the meeting was taking place "because we don't want to disappoint the American administration which wants it held" - but stressed it did not mean a resumption of peace talks.
The negotiating process was suspended in December.
'Natural growth'
Disagreements over the settlements issue have blocked all attempts to restart the peace talks so far.
US and Palestinian negotiators have said Israel must fully halt work on the construction of settlements in the West Bank before a new round of peace talks can take place, something Israel has refused to do.
Israeli views on Middle East summit
Mr Netanyahu had previously offered a temporary freeze for several months, but not in East Jerusalem or in cases where homes have already been approved.
He argues that the "natural growth" of settler families must be accommodated.
Tony Blair, the envoy for the international community's Middle East Quartet - comprising the UN, EU, US and Russia - said he believed there were grounds for optimism, because the US and Arab states saw peace as a priority.
"It's difficult at the moment, but it's difficult precisely because people are serious about it," he said.
But Hamas, Mr Abbas's rivals who control Gaza, condemned the talks as "cover for Israeli aggression", while Israeli settlers opposed to a settlement freeze set up a protest tent in Jerusalem.
Separately, the Israeli prime minister said he would boycott the address by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the UN General Assembly.
A senior Israeli official said Mr Netanyahu "does not want to dignify with his presence Ahmadinejad, who is a holocaust denier that has called for the destruction of Israel".
Mr Ahmadinejad provoked international anger last week when he said the Holocaust was "a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim".
Also on Tuesday, an Israeli-Arab man was shot dead in the West Bank after he tried to run over Israeli soldiers, the military said.
The man drove his car at soldiers at a checkpoint near Bethlehem, where he did not stop as requested, the military said.
He escaped, but was tracked down to a nearby garage where, the Israeli military said, he again tried to run over the soldiers.
It said soldiers fired towards the man and killed him after he failed to respond to warning shots.
A neighbour of the man told the Associated Press he had had no connection with armed groups and was killed "in cold blood".
What are your hopes for the summit? Send us your comments using the form below.What are your hopes for the summit? Send us your comments using the form below.
A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.
The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & ConditionsThe BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions