The Israeli and Palestinian leaders today tackled the core issues that have tormented would-be Mideast peacemakers for decades – Palestinian refugees, final borders and the fate of Jerusalem.

Mahmoud Abbas could hardly be more different from the man he seeks to replace. Unlike Yasser Arafat, he likes to work in the shadows, shuns publicity, listens to advisers and deplores violence.

Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved into the Rafah refugee camp on the Gaza-Egypt border early today as two air strikes killed 11 Palestinians and wounded 30, reflecting an Israeli decision to take control of the camp to stop arms smuggling and arrest militants.

The European Union expressed concern today that American support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral peace plans could play into the hands of Palestinian extremists.

Palestinians were preparing a mass funeral procession through the West Bank today for Faisal Husseini, the top Palestinian official in Jerusalem, who died earlier of a heart attack during a visit to Kuwait.