A meeting of Israeli and Palestinian representatives trying to settle differences over the peace accord signed last month in Washington has broken up in disarray.

The chief Palestinian negotiator, Hassan Asfour, said the situation was in crisis, and he called on the United States to intervene.

Correspondents say the Palestinians are bitter that two-hundred-and-fifty Palestinian detainees, released two weeks ago as part of the accord, consisted mostly of common criminals rather than political prisoners.

Another five hundred prisoners are due to be released shortly.

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has said he is not willing to release murderers.

The Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is due to have talks in Washington on Monday with President Clinton.