Former US president Jimmy Carter has written to American Jews explaining his use of the term “apartheid” and sympathising with Israelis who fear terrorism, following controversy over his new book on the Middle East conflict.

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat accused each other of stoking the Middle East conflict yesterday as a Palestinian gunman was killed and three Israelis wounded.

Israeli forces clashed with Palestinians today at a refugee camp and entered a town after a woman suicide bomber blew herself up at an Israeli army checkpoint in the West Bank.

The World Conference Against Racism entered its second day today with attention focused on tackling accusations of racism in the Middle East - an issue that threatened to overwhelm the agenda.

The US stepped back into the Middle East conflict tonight and said it would help broker a peace deal if the violence stopped unconditionally.