'Peace deal' drawn up for Middle East

Two years of talks between former Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have produced a 50-page peace deal that could be the basis for eventual official negotiations, even though it has no formal standing, participants said today.

Israeli leaders blasted the agreement as irresponsible, saying the Israeli participants, among them former left-wing Cabinet ministers, centrists generals and legislators allied with Israel’s opposition, had no right to make concessions in Israel’s name.