Israel has accepted a plan by theUS for a ceasefire in more than eight months of violence with the Palestinians, a spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon said.
A senior Palestinian security official said the Palestinian response would be submitted within the next few hours.
The prime minister and defence minister have just come out of a meeting where they accepted the proposal bythe CIA Director Mr George Tenet - despite some reservation - for a complete two-sided ceasefire, the spokesmansaid.
Israel's acceptance of the plan came after a late-night meeting with the Palestinians yesterday ended without results and deteriorated at times into shouting matches between the Israeli and Palestinian representatives.
A Palestinian official said they wouldaccept any idea that does not contradict the Mitchell report, referring to the recommendations of an international committee that looked into the violence.
The committee was led by former US Senator Mr George Mitchell.