Call for fresh Mid-East peace talks

A group of Israeli and Palestinian intellectuals and politicians have signed a joint declaration calling for an end to violence and the resumption of peace talks.

The declaration is the first document of its kind since the start of the Palestinian uprising last September.

About 100 people signed the declaration with almost equal numbers of Palestinians and Israelis.

The group includes Palestinian ministers and former Israeli cabinet ministers.

The document says mistakes have been made on all sides, and calls for the implementation of the Mitchell Report, which was published more than two months ago and recommends a series of measures.

Palestinian legislative council member Hanan Ashrawi, who is a signatory to the declaration, says the document shows there is an alternative to violence.

But former Israeli cabinet minister Yossi Beilin, who has also signed up, says the declaration will not be enough to end violence here.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service