Israel and the Palestinians postponed their first summit meeting since the Gaza pullout after preparatory talks failed on Monday to find a basis for its success.
Differences remained over Palestinian calls for Israel to release long-serving Palestinian prisoners and pull troops away from West Bank cities, moves that could bolster moderate President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of a January parliamentary poll.
Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had been due to meet on Tuesday, a month after Israel completed its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, ending 38 years of military rule in the coastal territory where 1.4 million Palestinians live and spurring hopes of progress in peace efforts.
Announcing the delay, Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah told reporters: "The meeting could take place at the end of the month or at the beginning of next month depending on the preparations." Abbas is due to meet US President George W. Bush at the White House on October 20 to discuss how to advance a US-backed peace "road map" stalled by violence.
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