BERLIN
, April 9 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has agreed to concede to the Palestinians in the ongoing effort to find peace
, a news magazine said.
During talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
, Olmert agreed to have the biweekly talks with the Palestinians supervised by a European observer
, German news magazine Der Spiegel said in its latest issue.
Israel had on repeated occasions promised the Palestinians forms of relief in the dialogue
, including the cutback of military controls; the agreements were often broken.
Merkel warned the Israeli and Palestinian authorities not to drag on for fruitless meetings without actual progress
, which could lead to great "disappointments" on both sides.
"We can't have an endless amount of meetings and nothing happens
," Merkel told the negotiating parties
, Der Spiegel said.
Sources from Olmert's office told the magazine the progress was due to the very high standing Merkel enjoys with the Israeli government. "You are great
, Angela," Olmert told the chancellor over dinner, according to the magazine.