Palestinians pledge action against militants

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has agreed to resume security talks with the Palestinians after they promised new steps to prevent militant attacks on Israel.

Security officials from the two sides met late last night to discuss ways of stopping Palestinian rocket fire in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli officials said.

Sharon had halted contacts with the new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, after attackers killed six Israeli civilians at a Gaza checkpoint last week. Israel has threatened to carry out a major reprisal, but has so far held off to give Abbas time to take action against militants.

The Israeli side said Abbas initiated the request. They said the decision meant no military action would immediately be taken. Earlier, Lt Gen Abdel Razek Majaide, the top Palestinian commander in Gaza and the West Bank, said Palestinian forces would soon be deployed near the Gaza border with Israel to prevent rocket attacks.

The meeting follows a spike in violence in the Gaza Strip, including repeated rocket attacks and a suicide bombing that killed an Israeli security agent.