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/8670726.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Mid-East indirect talks 'begin' | Mid-East indirect talks 'begin' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have begun, the Palestinian chief negotiator has said. | Indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have begun, the Palestinian chief negotiator has said. |
| Saeb Erekat spoke after a meeting between US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | Saeb Erekat spoke after a meeting between US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| Mr Mitchell will mediate in the talks between the two sides. | Mr Mitchell will mediate in the talks between the two sides. |
| The start of so-called "proximity talks" in March was halted after a row over the building of new Israeli homes in East Jerusalem. | The start of so-called "proximity talks" in March was halted after a row over the building of new Israeli homes in East Jerusalem. |
| Palestinians broke off direct peace talks after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza in late 2008. | Palestinians broke off direct peace talks after Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza in late 2008. |
| "The proximity talks have started," Mr Erekat said in the West Bank city of Ramallah. | |
| Mr Mitchell will now shuttle between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to narrow their differences. | |
| He has already held several meetings with Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the past week. | |
| The talks went ahead a day after receiving the backing of leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. | The talks went ahead a day after receiving the backing of leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. |
| The PLO's Executive Committee decided to back the talks after a three-hour meeting in the West Bank. | The PLO's Executive Committee decided to back the talks after a three-hour meeting in the West Bank. |