Palestinian says peace plan likely to be released

JERUSALEM -- A U.S.-backed plan for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict won't be ready by its Dec. 20 target date and may be delayed until after the Israeli elections a month later, a Palestinian official said Friday.

Separately, another influential Palestinian joined Friday in criticizing the Palestinian uprising that has left 1,954 Palestinians and 683 Israelis dead in 26 months of fighting.

The delayed release of the so-called "road map" to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, most likely until after the Jan. 28 elections, would mean a further delay in reaching a truce in the uprising, which has come under increasing criticism by Palestinian officials and citizens.

The United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations have jointly been trying to finalize a plan for a negotiated settlement.

The plan, which was to be presented on Dec. 20, calls for a three-phase, three-year program that would result in a Palestinian state living in peace beside Israel.

But Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath, after a meeting with U.S. officials in Washington, said the Americans told him release of the plan would likely be delayed.

"They prefer to wait until after the Israeli elections, where there'll be an Israeli government ready to work with this plan," Shaath told The Associated Press.

The Palestinians have been pressing to have the plan presented on time, but Israeli officials have said talks should be put on hold until after the vote, which polls show is likely to result in a victory by the right-of-center Likud Party led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.