A slimmed-down summit of Arab leaders was opening in Algeria today with a thin agenda that sidestepped some glaring Middle East issues.

Israel intends to hand over the West Bank town of Tulkarem to Palestinian control this week, officials on both sides said, marking the resumption of confidence-building measures halted after a suicide bombing killed five Israelis in Tel Aviv.

JORDAN’S foreign minister met Israeli leaders yesterday, the first such visit in more than four years, signifying renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve long-standing regional conflicts involving Israel, the Palestinians, Syria and Lebanon.