The UN Security Council's deadline for finding consensus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict passed with members still locked in informal talks late last night.
The council had given itself until the end of the day to see if it could find a common position on a draft resolution before the start of the Arab summit in Amman, Jordan.
The mood of diplomats swung back and forth as the council went from full consultations of its 15 members to separate meetings of the caucus of the seven non-aligned countries and its four Western European states, and back again.
The non-aligned members traditionally back the Palestinians, while the United States has been an unwavering supporter of Israel.
At one point, diplomats said there was a chance of reaching agreement on a text which would call on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to use his good offices to try to get Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.
More than 445 people - the great majority of them Palestinians - have died in violence that erupted in late September.
At another point, diplomats said the non-aligned members were determined to force a vote on a resolution to send UN observers to protect Palestinian civilians, knowing that this would force a US veto.
As midnight passed, the British and French ambassadors - co-sponsors of the draft - huddled with their counterparts from Bangladesh, Jamaica and the United States in a small room off the council chamber.
The Palestinian observer to the United Nations, Mr Nasser al-Kidwa, was also present although he does not have a council seat.
Mr Annan arrived in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Sunday and was due to address the opening session of the summit on Tuesday morning.
He began bilateral talks with Arab leaders and was due to confer with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat late yesterday, his spokesman Mr Fred Eckhard said.
AFP