Violence tops CIA Mid-East agenda

Right-wing Israelis want Mr Barak to call off negotiations

Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs have confirmed that they will meet the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency to discuss ways to reduce violence in the Middle East.

The CIA's George Tenet will hold talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Sunday as part of President Bill Clinton's final effort before leaving office to bring the two sides together.

Palestinian leaders find it hard to call a halt to the uprising

The Israelis, backed by the Americans, want the Palestinian leadership to re-arrest Islamic militants recently released from jail and resume security co-operation.

But the BBC's Middle East correspondent, Frank Gardner, says there is little optimism about the chances of an effective security pact being implemented on the ground.

He says Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority is in a difficult position - it finds it hard to tell its people to give up their daily clashes when there is no acceptable peace deal on the table.

US proposal in jeopardy

Also on Sunday, President Clinton will decide whether there is sufficient agreement between the two sides on his proposals to warrant further discussions before his presidency ends on 20 January.

Barak's survival depends on progress towards peace

Key clauses of Mr Clinton's peace blueprint call on the Palestinians to give up the right of return for refugees, in exchange for sovereignty over parts of Jerusalem.

Both sides have said they doubt that Mr Clinton can forge an agreement before he leaves the White House.

But the head of the Israeli delegation to the Cairo security talks said the discussions on halting violence could help achieve a wider agreement.

Former army chief Lipkin Shahak, said Mr Clinton might issue a statement acceptable to both sides that would preserve the progress made in negotiations so far.

Hamas warning

Officials in the Palestinian delegation scheduled to take part in the talks are Jibril al-Rajoub, head of Palestinian preventive security in the West Bank and Mohammed Dahlan, head of Palestinian preventive security in Gaza.

The militant group Hamas has warned the Palestinian Authority against resuming military cooperation with Israel under the auspices of the CIA.

In Israel, right-wing demonstrators staged a protest outside a meeting of the cabinet calling on Prime Minister Ehud Barak to halt all negotiations until after the prime ministerial elections on 6 February.

Latest opinion polls indicate that Mr Barak's right-wing rival Ariel Sharon is likely to win the election.

Mr Sharon, who leads the opposition Likud party, has promised a tougher negotiating position with the Palestinians.