BBC Wednesday, 16 May, 2001, 07:27 GMT 08:27 UK

Palestinians press US on Middle East

High-level talks have taken place in Washington on ways to end the bloodshed in the Middle East, amid widespread violence on the anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel.

Mahmoud Abbas, the most senior Palestinian to visit the US since President George Bush took office, met US Secretary of State Colin Powell and the national security adviser, Condoleeza Rice.

Meanwhile in Jerusalem, a senior Israeli official is reported to have admitted that soldiers committed an "error" when they shot dead five Palestinian policemen on Monday.

"The death of the five policemen was an error caused by bad information given to soldiers who took part in the operation," the official, who refused to be named, told the AFP news agency.

'Good and long' talks

The US State Department described the talks with the Palestinian second in command as "good, long" and said they had covered all regional issues.

The talks followed a rejection by Israel of the report by international negotiator, former American senator George Mitchell, which requested an end to the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories.

The US State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, refused to be drawn on what the United States' official response to the report would be.

"What's next is to decide what our commentary is going to be and then offer it after taking into account the two sides' responses," he said.

But the Palestinians have welcomed the report's findings and have asked the US Government to formally endorse it.

Hassan Rahman, the head of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's office in Washington, told the BBC: "I believe it is very serious that Israel has rejected the recommendations especially on the issue of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories.

"Mr Mitchell said that they were one of the main causes of the conflict and we believe that without a total cessation of Jewish activities in the Palestinian territories, talks about peace are academic."

The State Department said the meeting with Mr Abbas only came about because he happened to be in the United States for a medical check.

BBC correspondent Richard Lister said it is clear that the US is waiting until the Palestinians do more to prevent attacks on Israelis before they will give them the kind of access to the administration that they enjoyed under President Clinton.

Birthday bloodshed

At least four Palestinians and an Israeli woman were killed on Tuesday during the widespread clashes which marked the emotionally-charged anniversary of the formation of the state of Israel.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians protested in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to mark the Day of al-Nakba, or catastrophe - the displacement of huge numbers of Palestinians when Israel came into being in 1948.

Nearly 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli troops. Some degenerated into gun battles, with live ammunition being fired by both sides.

The bodyguard of Ahmad Yassin, the spiritual leader of the militant Islamic group Hamas, and three demonstrators were killed in separate incidents.

The BBC's Orla Guerin says Israeli troops used live fire against unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Fierce exchanges of fire also erupted after Israeli forces briefly entered the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Arafat warning

In a recorded speech, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat demanded the right to independence for his people.

He said the Palestinians rejected the "black destiny of exile and occupation," and warned that Israel's policy of "blockades and aggression could never give it security".

Holding red, white, black and green Palestinian flags, thousands of people crowded into Gaza City to listen to Mr Arafat's speech played over public address systems.

He said the hour had come for the international community "to wake up to the injustice" suffered by the Palestinian people and tell Israel to stop its "aggression".

Arab states declared war and invaded Israel upon its founding on May 15, 1948. Thousands were killed on both sides, and some 750,000 Palestinians fled or were driven out of their homes during the fighting.

More than 500 people - most of them Palestinians - have been killed since the Palestinian revolt or intifada started in September.

-- Anonymous, May 16, 2001