The UN Security Council is struggling to take an official position on Israeli-Palestinian violence in the face of US opposition.
The United States is dead set against sending UN observers to the West Bank and Gaza.
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Negotiators emerged from eight hours of closed-door talks looking weary and are due to continue meetings today. They are under pressure to take a stand before a meeting of Arab leaders in Jordan tomorrow.
"We're continuing to slog through this," said the acting US Ambassador to the UN, Mr James Cunningham.
"We want to come up with a result that will be realistic and supportive of the parties."
The Palestinians want the security Council to back the deployment of observers to help stop six months of bloodshed and say they have mustered the nine council votes needed to pass such a resolution.
Israel opposes sending observers and wants direct talks with the Palestinians instead. Its staunch ally the US could use its veto to block the Palestinian resolution.
But Washington fears a veto could trigger more violence and anger oil-rich Arab countries whose support it needs to strengthen sanctions against Afghanistan and Iraq.
PA