Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Tue 10 Oct 2000US calls talks as Middle East death toll nears 50Amid deepening international concern, Israeli-Palestinian violence seemed to be spiralling out of control yesterday, with the death toll from five days of fighting close to 50 and every indication that further escalation was likely. However early this morning, AFP reported that a Palestinian security source said that both sides had reached an agreement for a ceasefire in the Palestinian territories.As the UN Security Council met behind closed doors in New York last night, the US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, said she would meet the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Mr Ehud Barak and Mr Yasser Arafat, in Paris tomorrow.