The chief Palestinian peace negotiator threatened on Tuesday that there would be no talks with Israel unless a deadline is set for establishing a Palestinian state — the first indication the Palestinians could scuttle a US-sponsored peace summit over the issue.  Palestinian officials have repeatedly said they want a detailed timeline for talks that are expected to begin in earnest after a US-sponsored Mideast conference in November or December.

But although Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has consistently resisted the notion of a deadline, they had never before made the matter a condition for talks. On Tuesday, lead negotiator Ahmed Qureia tightened the screws. “The Israeli prime minister has stated that he will not accept a timetable, and we say we will not accepttalks without a timetable,” Qureia said at a news conference with the EU’s external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.