Jerusalem ? Israeli officials on Sunday said they foiled a recent attempt by Palestinian militants to assassinate Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during a trip to the West Bank and warned the plot could hurt prospects for an upcoming U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference.

Palestinian officials said Olmert was never in imminent danger and accused Israel of trying to exploit the plot to hinder progress before the summit.

Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been trying to hammer out a joint document outlining their common vision for a future peace agreement. They hope to present the document at the peace conference, which is expected to take place in Annapolis, Md., in November or December.

But negotiations have made little headway, and Olmert has come under heavy Palestinian pressure to make concessions ahead of the summit.

Palestinians said Israel’s decision to disclose the assassination plot, more than three months after it was uncovered, appeared to be aimed at heading off the pressure.