Israeli and Palestinian leaders will formally launch their peace negotiations at a ceremony held at the White House on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday.

Rice, speaking to reporters at the end of the Annapolis conference, said that President George W. Bush has invited Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to the White House on Wednesday to "inaugurate" the negotiations.

In a deal reached shortly before the beginning of the Annapolis on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed to rekindle their peace talks to seek a final solution to their six-decade conflict.

"We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples, to usher in a new era of peace based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition, to propagate a culture of peace and non-violence, and to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis," a framework document agreed by the two sides said.

"In furtherance of the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral (negotiations) in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements," it said.

"We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008," the document said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)