Jerusalem - The hardline opposition Likud party submitted a bill to parliament Monday, which if passed would make it illegal for any Israeli transitional government to conduct peace talks and give up territory.

The bill is another effort by the party to block attempts by Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to negotiate a peace treaty with the Palestinians and Syria during his final months in office at the head of a transitional government.

Olmert resigned the premiership on September 21, and under Israeli law his government is now a transitional one until a new coalition is formed after the next general elections, scheduled for February 10 next year.

Likud legislator Limor Livnat also petitioned Israel's Supreme Court of Justice, demanding that the court order Olmert to end his negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians immediately, Israel Radio reported.

Likud over the weekend already approached the government's top legal advisor, demanding he examine whether a transitional government has the authority to conduct binding negotiations.

The attorney general, however, ruled against its reservations, saying the talks could go on.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has taken over the leadership of Olmert's ruling Kadima party and is the party's candidate for premier, said later Monday that a vote for the Likud in the upcoming elections would mean the freezing of the peace process, and she did not believe the Israeli public wanted this.

Israel Army Radio quoted her as telling the Kadima Knesset caucus that the Likud had become a party which said "no" to everything.

Livni added that she believed the peace process had to continue, but in a balanced manner.

Olmert resigned to fight corruption allegations, but has vowed to continue both his direct negotiations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his indirect talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for so long as he heads a transitional government.

Abbas, however, said in Amman Sunday and in Bucharest Monday that he did not believe a peace deal was possible during Olmert's final months in office.

The two leaders stated at a US-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that they would try to reach a deal by the end of 2008.

Meanwhile, Israel's indirect talks with Syria, mediated by Turkey, are in their initial stages, and Damascus has thus far rejected Olmert's calls for direct negotiations. (dpa)