RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 9 (Reuters) - Palestinian officials voiced concern on Friday that a new bribery scandal involving Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert could derail U.S.-sponsored talks on establishing a Palestinian state.

Chief negotiator Ahmed Qurie insisted that President Mahmoud Abbas's team viewed it as an internal Israeli affair and said he hoped it would not affect the process, even if Olmert was forced to quit over allegations he accepted illegal cash contributions.

But privately Palestinian officials acknowledged they were troubled. If Olmert's fragile coalition fell apart, an Israeli election would probably render unrealistic a deadline set by the talks' sponsor, U.S. President George W. Bush, for reaching a deal on statehood before Bush leaves office in January.

"Of course we are worried," one senior official said.

Palestinian leaders have already said they are sceptical that the deñ

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