JERUSALEM — Senior Israeli officials expressed support today for the transfer of Arab parts of Jerusalem to Palestinian Arab control, offering a concession on one of the most contentious issues in the Mideast conflict. The offer appeared to fall short of Palestinian Arab calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from key areas of the holy city.

The officials spoke as Israeli and Palestinian Arab negotiators were to begin talks in Jerusalem to work out a joint document they hope to issue at an American-sponsored peace conference next month. The meetings were closed.

Ahead of the talks, a confidant of Prime Minister Olmert said he has proposed in recent talks with Palestinian Arab officials to turn over areas of east Jerusalem to the Palestinian Arabs. The Palestinian Arabs claim east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, as capital of a future independent state.

Deputy Vice Premier Haim Ramon’s proposal marked a potentially significant Israeli concession. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and claims all of the city as its undivided capital.

But the Israeli transfer would not include the Old City and surrounding neighborhoods, Mr. Ramon said. These are the key disputed areas, since the Old City contains the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount, and the third holiest site in Islam, the Al Aqsa mosque compound.

Mr. Ramon was not clear about what areas would be transferred. But his opposition to relinquishing control of the Old City and neighboring areas with holy sites — known as the “holy basin” — falls short of Palestinian Arab claims to all areas captured in 1967.

“I agree that all the Palestinian neighborhoods except the Arab neighborhoods in the holy basin … would be transferred,” Mr. Ramon told Army Radio. Instead, he suggested a “special administration” to oversee the holy basin. He did not elaborate, but past talks have raised the idea of turning oversight to an international body.

A Palestinian Arab negotiator, Saeb Erekat, refused to comment on Mr. Ramon’s proposal, but said there have been no agreements on Jerusalem in preliminary talks so far. “We haven’t started negotiations. It’s premature to say anything about these issues,” he said.

Mr. Olmert’s office also tried to distance itself from Mr. Ramon, saying his comments reflected his own opinion and not that of the prime minister.

But Mr. Olmert said today he strongly backed the efforts to work out a deal.

“By no means will I miss any opportunity for dialogue that might, perhaps — and I emphasize the word ‘perhaps’ — lead Israel in the direction of significantly improving its ties with the neighboring Palestinian people,” Mr. Olmert told his Kadima Party ahead of a major address to parliament.

Mr. Ramon said he expected Mr. Olmert and his main coalition partners would support a deal on Jerusalem. Media reports say Mr. Olmert sent Mr. Ramon unofficially but that any deal he works out could be presented officially to the government for approval.