Next week, the leaders of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United States along with foreign ministers of other countries will gather in Annapolis on Tuesday for the Middle East Peace Summit.

On November 27, the United States will host Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, along with the Members of the Quartet, the Members of the Arab League Follow-on Committee, the G-8, the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and other key international actors for a conference at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Middle East Peace Quartet envoy Tony Blair has announced a number of industrial and business projects designed to revitalise the Palestinian economy.

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has renounced all previous agreements with Israel on drafting a joint statement to be adopted at the upcoming Annapolis peace summit, the Haaretz newspaper said.

Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian President, hopes the upcoming U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference would succeed. Previously he expressed skepticism about it.

The Turkish capital, Ankara, is hosting the Israeli and Palestinian presidents. The two leaders are meeting with their Turkish counterpart and the prime minister. The visit comes ahead of an expected peace summit in the United States.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says her talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders have convinced her that both sides want the upcoming U.S.- sponsored Mideast peace conference to succeed. VOA's Jim Teeple reports Secretary Rice has traveled to the occupied West Bank for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and other Palestinian leaders.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told the Egyptian media Tuesday he would remain committed to international resolutions at a Middle East conference initiated by the U.S. and due later this year.

Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert will hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, to prepare for an upcoming U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference.

US Vice President Dick Cheney described Tehran as an obstacle to Middle East peace and warned of "serious consequences" if it did not comply with the West's demands to halt sensitive nuclear work.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has ended four days of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East with no sign of a breakthrough on a peace agreement.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice won tempered Egyptian support in her quest to nudge Israelis and Palestinians closer together ahead of a Mideast peace conference to be held in November or December.