Mideast talks tackle refugees issue
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Palestinian and Israeli negotiators return to the table
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TABA, Egypt (CNN) -- Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are tackling the thorny issue of Palestinian refugees, as peace talks continue in Egypt.
The Palestinians have been demanding that millions of refugees displaced during Israeli-Palestinian conflicts be allowed the right of return, a stance that Israel has rejected.
Other issues to be tackled by negotiators in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Taba include the status of Jerusalem and the borders of a possible Palestinian state.
The negotiators were back at the table Friday after the delegations spent Thursday evening consulting separately after a dispute about how to handle the ongoing violence in the region.
Holding out some hope, Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath told the Associated Press news agency Thursday that the two sides were close to agreement about borders of a Palestinian state.
He said Israel would get about four percent of the West Bank, and the Palestinians would receive some Israeli territory in return.
Israeli elections loom
But dampening expectations, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak told businessmen in Tel Aviv there was only "a really slim chance" of a comprehensive agreement before Israelis vote in elections on February 6.
"I don't believe there will be an agreement by the elections," Barak said.
Barak is trailing hardliner Ariel Sharon -- the leader of the Likud party -- in opinion polls.
Sharon says he will not honor any agreement emerging from the talks while Palestinians say his election could kill the peace process.
The current round of talks, which started last Sunday but were suspended pending the funerals of two Israelis killed Tuesday, are due to end January 30 with Israel holding its prime ministerial election seven days later.
As negotiations resumed, the task was further overshadowed by more killings -- two Palestinians reported to have been killed by Israeli troops, and an Israeli shot by suspected Palestinian gunmen.
Palestinian hospital sources said soldiers shot the two Palestinian men dead overnight Wednesday in Gaza.
While confirming an incident had taken place, the Israeli army said only that its soldiers had opened fire and hit two Palestinians trying to penetrate a Jewish settlement.
Israeli police said they suspected Palestinian gunmen were responsible for the death of an Israeli who was shot in the head and killed Thursday as he drove near Atrot Junction north of Jerusalem.
Israel Defense Forces said the shooting occurred as the man drove his car between Dirnabala and Aljir in the Atrot Industrial Zone.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security forces detained an unspecified number of people suspected of being involved in Tuesday's killing of the two Israelis near Tulkarem.
The Palestinian Authority issued a statement denouncing the killings of Moti Dayan and Etgar Zeituni.
More than 400 people -- the vast majority Palestinian -- have been killed in the violence since September 28 last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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RELATED SITES:
Israeli Prime Minister's Office
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Palestinian National Authority
Palestine Red Crescent Society
PLO Negotiations Affairs Deparment
Israel Defense Forces
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