Ramallah - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier urged Israelis and Palestinians Monday to avoid actions that could derail a planned framework peace agreement.

These included rocket attacks from Gaza on Israeli territory and Israel's settlement construction, Steinmeier said after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

"Time is running short for the ambition programme to achieve a framework agreement by November," the minister said.

Abbas described the settlement construction as "a major obstacle" to the peace process. As long as settlements continued to be built there is no hope of a peace agreement, he said.

The president was due to meet later in the day with embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ahead of the latter's planned visit to the United States.

Abbas said the talks would concentrate on the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the building of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

At the Annapolis conference in the United States last November, Israel and the Palestinians committed themselves to achieving a framework agreement this year aimed at a two-state solution. (dpa)