Israeli and Palestinian negotiators said that they were going home tonight after inconclusive Middle East peace talks at the White House with President Bill Clinton, but left the door open for further meetings. The two sides have been having talks in Washington for the past four days. There have been reports that Israel has offered major concessions on the key issue of sovereignty over Jerusalem. In return, the Israelis are believed to be calling on the Palestinians to drop their demand for the return of millions of Arab refugees to their former homes in what is now Israel.
A senior Israeli official said that the talks would determine if a new summit could be held. Speaking on Israeli radio, a security advisor to Ehud Barak said that the violence has to end. However, Danny Yatom added that any agreement would have to be a comprehensive one, with Israel’s interests preserved.
Mr Yatom said that any solution would have to incorporate an agreement on the contested holy site in East Jerusalem, the future of that part of the city, the future of Palestinian refugees and on final borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state. He said that he was optimistic about the outcome, but warned that, if the negotiations fail, the consequences could be grave.
