The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has said his government is ready to accept the international framework known as the ‘road map’ peace plan for the Middle East.
Breaking weeks of deadlock, the Israeli cabinet will decide tomorrow whether to accept the road map to peace drawn up by the Americans.
Mr Sharon's change of policy came after publication of a statement by the White House saying it shared concerns raised by Israel over the road map.
However, senior American officials have been making it clear that the Israelis cannot expect to have it all their own way in negotiating a peace with the Palestinians.
US President George Bush announced that he was exploring the possibility of arranging three-way talks next month, with the Israeli leader and the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas.
