Israel rejects offer of truce from Arafat and demands crackdown

ISRAEL yesterday rejected a truce from Yasser Arafat and instead demanded the Palestinian Authority crack down on militant groups.

Mr Arafat himself struck a conciliatory tone, but stopped short of making a specific ceasefire offer. "We say to the peace supporters in Israel that we extend our hand to you to revive peace", Arafat said in a speech to about 2,500 Palestinians at his battered West Bank headquarters.

In the West Bank town of Dura, meanwhile, Israeli troops killed an Islamic militant in an arrest raid, witnesses and military officials said.

Mr Arafat and his designated prime minister Ahmed Qureia are not in touch with the Israeli government on a proposed truce, officials said. But there are high-level contacts between the Palestinian Authority and the militant group Hamas on a new ceasefire, a senior Palestinian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Palestinian officials said they were given to understand by the US that it backs the idea of a mutual truce, provided it is followed by some action against the militants.

Hamas has been weakened in recent weeks, both by Israel's targeted killings of leaders and fugitives and by attempts by the US, the EU and the Palestinian Authority to stop the flow of funds to the group.

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and militants linked to Mr Arafat's Fatah group declared a unilateral halt to attacks in June, but the truce collapsed last month amid new violence.

Israel had been suspicious of the unilateral and temporary ceasefire, saying it was a ruse to allow militants to regroup and the Palestinian Authority to sidestep the requirement of the US-backed road map peace plan to dismantle the groups. Israeli troops carried out several deadly arrest raids prompting revenge attacks.

Mr Arafat's national security adviser, Brigadier General Jibril Rajoub, said the Palestinians would soon propose a more comprehensive ceasefire.

"There must be a mutual ceasefire based on an end to violence on both sides," Rajoub said.

Israel's security cabinet decided last week, in response to twin Hamas bombings that killed 15 people, to reject any Palestinian truce offer.

Raanan Gissin, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said Israel wants to see the Palestinian Authority take action against militant groups before agreeing to any new truce.

Arafat said Israel's position shows Sharon is not interested in peace. "When has Israel ever accepted a truce and when has Israel ever accepted peace?" said Arafat.

Meanwhile, the US last night hinted it will veto a Security Council resolution demanding the UN ensures the safety of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Syria had intended to push for a vote yesterday, but was persuaded by other council members to amend it and delay the vote for a day.