The Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, has said he will not attend an Arab summit in Beirut. His aides say this is because of a number of Israeli imposed conditions, including the right to veto his return to Palestinian territories.
The Palestinian Information Minister said Mr Arafat would not to allow Israel to pressure the Palestinian negotiators into submitting to Israeli conditions. Earlier, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, said conditions were "not ripe" for it to lift a travel ban on Mr Arafat to allow him to attend the summit.
However, the United States called on Israel to permit Mr Arafat attend the summit. Mr Arafat is currently confined by Israeli troops to the West Bank town of Ramallah.
President George W Bush also urged Arab nations to support a Saudi land-for-peace deal with Israel when they meet at the summit. The proposal would involve Arab countries granting formal recognition to Israel, in return for Israel withdrawing to its pre-1967 borders.
