Mitchell urges Abbas to engage in peace efforts

President Obama's new Middle East envoy today called for the Western-backed Palestinian government to take an active role in cementing the shaky Gaza truce.

George Mitchell spoke after meeting Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, who favours an accord with the Jewish state but has no control in Gaza.

Mitchell repeated the need to halt arms smuggling into Gaza and end the crippling Israeli and Egyptian blockade of the territory.

"It's important to consolidate a sustainable and durable ceasefire," he said after meeting Mr Abbas.

"To be successful in preventing the illicit trafficking of arms into Gaza, there must be a mechanism to allow the flow of legal goods and that should be with the participation of the Palestinian Authority."

Mr Mitchell wants the crossings opened on the basis of a 2005 agreement brokered by the US that puts President Abbas' people in control of the main Egypt-Gaza passage, with European monitors deployed to prevent smuggling.

However, Gaza's ruling Hamas group wants a role at the crossings in recognition of its power in the territory. Israel and Abbas do not want Hamas there.

Egypt has been exploring the possibility of including some Hamas personnel in a Palestinian Authority presence at the border, but that would require some form of reconciliation between the bitterly divided factions.

Gaza Prime Minister Haniyeh said reconciliation was Hamas' "main aim" right now. He also expressed hope that ties between the US and the Islamic world would rebound after suffering during the Bush administration.

"I think it is not in America's interest to stay in conflict with the Arab and Muslim worlds, considering its interests in the region," he said. "We hope that the new American president revises all the policies of his predecessor."

At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed and vast areas of Gaza were destroyed during Israel's offensive. Thirteen Israelis also died in the fighting, which Israel launched to halt years of rocket fire from Gaza on its southern towns.

While Mr Mitchell's overall goal is long-term peace, a flare-up of Gaza violence has underscored the more immediate priority: shoring up the shaky truce. Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel today and an Israeli airstrike targeted a man riding a motorcycle in southern Israel.

The Israeli military said the motorcyclist was involved in a bomb attack on Tuesday on the Gaza-Israel border that killed an Israeli soldier. Yesterday Israeli warplanes struck Gaza smuggling tunnels and a weapons factory, and a rocket squad attacked Israel.

Mr Mitchell embarked on his Middle East tour just a week after Mr Obama took office, signalling the new US administration's willingness to make the region a priority.