Palestinian authority offers new truce deal

Yasser Arafat wants to reach a mutual truce with Israel, his national security adviser said today, but Israeli officials said the government would reject the offer outright.

Brigadier General Jibril Rajoub, Mr Arafat’s national security adviser, said under a ceasefire, the Palestinians would halt all acts of violence in return for an Israeli agreement to end its military operations, including lifting blockades on Palestinian towns and villages.