US envoy returning to Mid-East

Zinni's return follows a lull in violence

The United States is sending envoy Anthony Zinni back to the Middle East in an attempt to end more than 15 months of Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Mr Zinni left the region on 16 December after a three-week mission during which a wave of Palestinian suicide bomb attacks were launched inside Israel, leading to a series of Israeli reprisal strikes.

We welcome this decision of the US administration to send General Zinni to the region

Saeb Erekat, Palestinian negotiator

He will return on Thursday, a spokesman for the US embassy in Israel said.

His mission, the spokesman said, will be to ensure that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is keeping a tight rein on militants and to urge Israel to ease restrictions on the Palestinian territories.

The decision to revive Mr Zinni's mediating role follows a marked drop in violence between the two sides over the past two weeks.

Peace plans

Both Israel and the Palestinians welcomed the announcement.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters news agency that the Palestinians "hope [Mr Zinni] will propose a timeline and mechanism for implementing the Mitchell and Tenet plans".

The US originally dispatched Mr Zinni to the region in November to try to implement two US initiatives - a peace negotiations plan recommended last May by former US senator George Mitchell, and a ceasefire negotiated last June by US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director George Tenet.

An Israeli official told Reuters that Israel also welcomed Mr Zinni's return and hoped "he convinces [Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat to fight with more zeal against terrorism".

Arafat under pressure

The Palestinian Authority has arrested scores of Palestinian militants amid intense international pressure to crack down on terrorism in the wake of December's suicide attacks against Israeli targets.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, however, has said Mr Arafat is not doing enough and has repeatedly ruled out returning to peace talks until there is a complete cessation of violence.

US embassy spokesman Paul Patin said Mr Zinni would tell the Palestinians their actions against militants was "encouraging" but must continue, while he would press Israel for an "easing up on travel for Palestinians".

Israel says it has maintained a blockade of Palestinian towns and villages across the West Bank to stop attempts by Palestinian militants to infiltrate Israel and launch attacks.