Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Jericho is significant in more ways than one.

It is the first time since the start of the second Intifada in 2000 that an Israeli leader has visited Palestinian territory. The two leaders have engaged in six meetings since December, aimed at finding ways to revive the deadlocked dialogue. These meetings saw the two sides take some confidence-building measures.

Israel released 255 Palestinian prisoners and some 178 Palestinian militants agreed to stop fighting the Jewish state. While no breakthrough was announced at the conclusion of the latest round, the meeting was a landmark of sorts. For the first time in years, the Israelis agreed to put the ‘fundamental issues’ on the table.

Israel has hitherto been open to discussing only peripheral issues with the Palestinians, putting off for later the core divisive issues. The slight shift in Israeli position evident at the Jericho talks appears to have come under prodding from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

A US-hosted West Asia peace conference is scheduled to take place in November and the Americans are keen that this meeting does not collapse; hence the gentle pressure on Tel Aviv to show some flexibility.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s reiteration of support for a two-state solution and his new willingness to address ‘substantive issues’ is heartening. However, what he means by substantive issues is unclear.

Palestinians will be hoping that the Israeli leadership will discuss core issues such as the borders of the envisioned Palestinian state, the future of Jerusalem and the status of Palestinian refugees. But it seems that the issues Israel will discuss are steps that they believe Palestinian leaders need to take - such as setting up of institutions and security mechanisms – to establish a state.

If the Israelis and the Americans are determined to play around with words rather than tackle the real issues lying at the root of the West Asia conflict, there is little chance of the Jericho meeting moving towards a resolution of the conflict. The Palestinian President’s credibility is at an all-time low and Hamas is gaining ground.

If the upcoming peace conference collapses without some agreement – this is very likely if Israel persists with discussing minor issues - it will be the end of the road for a negotiated settlement to the West Asian crisis.