Palestinians Adjourn With No Truce

(AP)  Palestinians on Sunday failed to reach agreement on a truce offer to Israel after three days of talks mired in arguments, delegates said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who joined the talks in Cairo in the hopes of pulling off a deal, left the Egyptian capital without an agreement in hand. Delegates said a statement will be issued later outlining the results of the meetings.

"The statement will have no mention of refraining from attacks on civilians, cease-fire or authorizing Abu Ala (the Palestinian prime minister)," said Samir Ghosheh, head of the Palestinian Struggle Front, one of the more than dozen groups which attended the Palestinian talks.

Maher Taher, a senior delegate from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said disagreements over whether to offer a full cease-fire or a limited truce that would only stop attacks inside Israel could not be bridged.

"There are disagreements about the nature of a cease-fire," he told The Associated Press. "The factions have different positions on the issue."

When asked whether the statement would include reference to halting attacks on civilians, a broader cease-fire or a mandate to the Palestinian Authority to negotiate terms with Israel, he replied: "None of the above ... and so we will end with a press release."