The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Annapolis

Israel and the Palestinians pledged Tuesday to seek a peace deal by the end of 2008 as they seized on a major US-sponsored conference to revive negotiations frozen for seven years.

Flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, US President George W. Bush read out the pledge to top diplomats and others from 50 countries and organizations meeting in Annapolis, Maryland.

"We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008," the statement said.

In a keynote speech marking what amounts to his biggest push for Middle East peace since he took office in 2001, Bush said the time was ripe for an end to the six-decade conflict, despite rising extremism and violence in the region.

Brushing aside skeptics, Bush told delegates meeting in a building of the US Naval Academy at Annapolis: "I believe that now is precisely the right time to begin these negotiations -- for a number of reasons."

He cited a new willingness among the leaders of both sides as well as global support for fresh negotiations, and warned "we must not cede victory to the extremists."

The US leader acknowleged sealing a deal would not be easy, and in a sign of the difficulties ahead tens of thousands of Palestinian Islamists poured on to the streets in Gaza and the West Bank in protests which left one Palestinian dead.

Israeli settlers in the West Bank were also anxiously watching the outcome of the talks fearing they could spell the end of their dream of a "Greater Israel."

But Abbas said the conference and international climate presented an exceptional opportunity for peace that would "not repeat itself," while Olmert vowed Israel was prepared to make a "painful compromise" to achieve peace.

The joint statement from the Palestinians and Israelis was a victory for Bush, as right up until the last minute the two delegations had been haggling over the text in the presence of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples," it said.

And they promised to "usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition." The first meeting of a top-level steering committee is to be held on December 12, and the two sides agreed "to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues."

Major differences remain between the Israelis and Palestinians over core issues like the status of Jerusalem, the borders of a future Palestinian state and the fate of Palestinian refugees.

But Olmert seized the opportunity to call for a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace deal.