Palestinians hope for Bush peace moves

Doubts remain over the future of the peace process

A high-level Palestinian envoy has said he hopes that the new US administration will throw its weight behind efforts to get the Middle East peace talks restarted.

During a meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Palestinian International Co-operation Minister Nabil Shaath said he had urged the new Bush team to get involved and help "end the misery" caused by months of violence.

Nabil Shaath held a series of meetings at the State Department

State department officials described the meeting - the first between senior Palestinian negotiators and the new administration - as "positive".

However, it was held against a gloomy backdrop of renewed tension and fighting. Some 410 people have been killed, most Palestinians, but also about 60 Israelis, during five months of violence.

Seeking support

Mr Shaath told reporters that during his meeting he told Mr Powell of "the very difficult situation of the Palestinian people".

An already bad Palestinian economy has suffered greatly

Nabil Shaath

He said Israel's imposition of travel bans, a sea blockade and repeated closures of Gaza airport had damaged an already bad Palestinian economy.

Colin Powell is due to visit the region later this week where he is expected to face renewed Palestinians calls for the US to exert pressure on Israel to return to the negotiating table.

But BBC world affairs correspondent Nick Childs says Washington has hinted that the new administration will take more of a back seat on Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy than former president Bill Clinton did, leaving it up to the parties themselves to explore the way ahead.

Sympathies for Israel?

The Palestinians say peace talks should resume from the point at which they left off. The incoming Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, rejects that.

Powell: To visit Middle East later in the week

The statements so far from the Bush team would tend to give more comfort to Mr Sharon on this than the Palestinians, with US officials, expressing concern about the deteriorating security situation.

But, again, the message from the administration is likely to be that it should be the parties themselves who get to grips with this issue.