By pushing ahead with a meeting with the promoters of an alternative peace plan despite Israeli opposition, US Secretary of State Colin Powell has delivered another slap in the face for Ariel Sharon at a time when the premier is coming under increasing flak from Washington.

But observers in Israel say that the apparent rift between the two traditional allies is as much down to internal politics in the US that the Bush administration will not allow to get out of hand ahead of next year's presidential elections.

Despite a warning from Israel that such a meeting would be a "mistake", Powell has confirmed he plans to meet with former Israeli justice minister Yossi Beilin and ex-Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo, possibly tomorrow, after the pair's virtual peace plan was launched in Switzerland on Monday.

Hatzofe, the in-house paper of the right-wing National Religious Party, which is a member of Sharon's ruling coalition, reflected anger felt within government ranks Wednesday when it accused Powell of "legitimising a political charade".

"Israel must protest against the proposed meeting with Powell," the paper added.

Israel's Trade Minister Ehud Olmert, the official number two to the prime minister, said Tuesday that such a meeting would be an "error and an incorrect decision by a senior official from the American administration".

"I am certain of his friendship towards Israel but I have my doubts about his judgement over this affair," he added.

According to Israeli analyst Efraim Inbar, professor of political sciences at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, the Sharon government should have adopted a more forceful stand.

"It is a mistake from Israel not to voice stronger opposition to the meeting between Powell and the Geneva architects," he said.

"Israel should have also been more vociferous in its opposition to the Geneva accord".

Inbar however said that Sharon should not be unduly perturbed by the prospect of a meeting and recent criticism by US President George W Bush, who has attacked the path of Israel's West Bank separation barrier and the "daily humiliations" that Palestinians endure in the occupied territories.

The meeting "is mostly a message to the Palestinian not to give up hope on peace", while Bush's comments and a recent decision to reduce loan guarantees were intended as "a message to the Arabs that the US is not biased".

Inbar said that the increasing criticism could also be attributed to Powell's State Department taking more control over policy in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"The US, especially the White House, are pretty busy with Iraq and less interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and this gives space to the State Department, which has always been more pro-Arab," said Inbar.

"But I can't imagine a crisis in the relations between the US and Israel because the electoral period is approaching".

The liberal daily Haaretz also said that the criticism could also be put down to the State Department playing a greater role, as US national security advisor Condoleezza Rice concentrates on events in Iraq.

"Powell has stepped into the vacuum left by Rice, and since he has been frustrated many a time by Jerusalem in the past three years, he no doubt is enjoying getting back at Sharon, such as with his readiness to meet with the Geneva Accord organisers," it said.

"The White House nonetheless is keeping an eye on the State Department and won't allow things to get out of hand, especially as the American elections approach".

Inbar argued the US criticism would ultimately have little impact on Sharon.

"He is the only game in town. The opposition is very weak and he has a lot of time until the next (Israeli) elections" in four years, he said. "This is probably why Sharon is playing it cool". – Sapa-AFP.