Sharon and Peres argue over peace process

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres is arguing with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon over his security demands.

Mr Peres says Israel can not currently demand Palestinians crack down on militants.

He says there must be real prospects for peace talks before the Palestinians risk civil war.

The growing rift in the Israeli government comes as US envoy Anthony Zinni prepares for separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian security officials.

Sharon is set to leave for a five day trip to the United States, including a meeting on Monday with US President George Bush at the White House.

Mr Zinni's mission has been overshadowed by violence. Israeli troops shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian who approached an Israeli position in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday night.

The military said he was shouting Islamic slogans and ignored orders to halt. Soldiers believed he was a suicide bomber, the army says.

Also in Gaza, soldiers wounded two unarmed Palestinians. The Israeli military says it believed they were trying to infiltrate into Israel to carry out an attack.

In all, three Israeli civilians and four Palestinians - among them three militants carrying out shooting attacks - have been killed since Mr Zinni's arrival earlier this week.

He says the fighting, now in its 15th month, must stop. "I think both sides have suffered far too much in the last months," Mr Zinni said after a meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Wednesday.