Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has agreed to delay the pullout from the Gaza Strip by three weeks, ostensibly to avoid a conflict with a Jewish period of mourning.

Israel has stopped targeting Palestinian militants for death, security officials said early today.

The Palestinians will deploy security forces along the Gaza-Israel frontier in coming days to prevent rocket fire and other attacks on Israeli towns, in the first act of security co-operation with Israel under Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, officials said today.

Palestinians lobbed several mortar shells at an Israeli settlement in the northern Gaza Strip today hours after Israeli troops ended a raid of the area which was meant to stop such attacks.

THE Palestinian authority plunged deeper into crisis yesterday when parliament called on Yasser Arafat to accept the resignation of his prime minister and militants kidnapped a senior official in the West Bank.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia told Yasser Arafat yesterday he would remain in his post, but only in a temporary caretaker capacity, Cabinet ministers said

BACKING down in the face of violent protests, Yasser Arafat asked the ousted Palestinian chief of security to return to his job yesterday, placing him in command of his cousin, Palestinian officials said.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia refused to withdraw his resignation letter today, and called on Yasser Arafat to “appoint the right men to the right posts” in the security branches.

Backing down in the face of widespread protests, Yasser Arafat replaced his cousin as Palestinian security chief today and asked the former chief to return to his job.

GUNMEN burned down the offices of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority in Gaza yesterday, as anger spread over the Palestinian leader's overhaul of his security forces that many saw as falling short of genuine reform.

Dozens of Palestinian gunmen stormed an office of the Palestinian intelligence service today, opening fire on security guards inside, smashing furniture and burning down the one-storey building, witnesses said.