CIA mediation in Mideast conflict to end

From National Security Correspondent David Ensor

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. President George W. Bush administration has ended the CIA's role as a broker between Israeli and Palestinian security forces and is urging the two sides to talk directly to each other instead, U.S. officials said.

Over the last few years, the Central Intelligence Agency, and in particular its director, George Tenet, have played an unusually high-profile role -- passing intelligence and complaints, as well as arbitrating disputes, between the security chiefs in the West Bank and Gaza.

The role evolved largely because of Palestinian requests for help dealing with the Israelis and U.S. officials concede the Palestinians "are not pleased" to see it diminished. CIA officials, however, have never been comfortable playing the relatively visible role of intermediaries between the Israelis and Palestinians.

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