A long-awaited summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas ended Saturday night at Olmert's residence in Jerusalem.

Officials described the meeting as a private one, and the two leaders did not hold a press conference.

Israeli officials said on Saturday that Olmert agreed to make some concessions to help bolster Abbas, who is in a power struggle with the ruling Hamas movement, the Ha'aretz daily quoted officials as saying shortly after the two-hour meeting.

The officials said that there was no deal on the key issue of

prisoners' release involving an Israeli soldier held by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since late June.

A statement is expected to be put out from Olmert's Office.

According to the Yedioth daily, Olmert and Abbas reached an agreement on a number of issues, and progress was made regarding the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues withheld by Israel for almost one year.

Abbas was accompanied by former Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Abbas and Olmert met informally on the sidelines of a conference in Jordan earlier this year, but Abbas' last formal meeting with an Israeli prime minister was in February 2005, when Ariel Sharon held the post.

Source: Xinhua