Israel has again snubbed a request from Britain to reconsider its ban on Palestinian officials travelling to a London conference on reforming their administration.
British ambassador Mr Sherard Cowper-Coles handed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a letter from Mr Tony Blair with the request during a meeting at the premier's office in Tel Aviv, but the hardline leader would not back down.
Mr Cowper-Coles expressed the "disappointment" of his government following the latest rejection amid cooling ties between the countries. Mr Sharon also turned down another written plea from Mr Blair on Thursday to overturn the ban.
Israel and Britain have been at loggerheads since Monday when Israel plced a travel ban on Palestinian officials following a double suicide bombing which killed 22 people plus two the bombers the day before in Tel Aviv.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Friday he would hold instead telephone talks next week with senior Palestinian officials since they could not attend the meeting set for Tuesday.
The talks were to help Palestinians prepare for the implementation of a "roadmap" drawn up by the diplomatic Quartet on Middle East peace - the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations - with the aim of creating a Palestinian state by 2005.
Delegates would discuss political, judicial, administrative, economic and constitutional reform of Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat's administration, viewed as corrupt and inefficient.
Mr Blair also has invited Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and members of the Quartet to be part of the discussions.
AFP