They say the deal, signed by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in Washington on Friday, amounts to treason and surrender.

The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Jerusalem: "It is still the Jewish Sabbath so there have been no protests yet"

The settlers have said they again plan to block roads throughout the West Bank on Sunday. Their supporters in parliament have threatened to bring down the government.

The BBC Jerusalem Correspondent, Paul Adams, says hardline Palestinians are also determined to wreck the agreement because they fear a security crackdown.

Members of militant Palestinian Jihad group protesting against Friday's peace deal

The agreement was clinched after nine days and nights of intense negotiations which required the involvement of both US President Bill Clinton and King Hussein of Jordan.

Under the deal the Israelis have agreed to withdraw from a further 13% of the West Bank and begin releasing Palestinian prisoners.

In return the Palestinians are to take action against militants, and to cancel the PLO charter's call for the destruction of Israel.

Peter Biles reports: Bigger challenge still to come

The accord has been welcomed at the United Nations and by the European Union and Russia.

Syria however called it a surrender of Palestinian rights.

Arafat meets EU leaders

Mr Arafat is in Austria briefing EU leaders on the deal.

Yasser Arafat: No return to violence

Arriving from the US, he said Mr Netanyahu was his "new partner" and he was sure the peace deal would be implemented.

He said he hoped the deal would "open the door for Lebanon and Syria to achieve real progress, real advancement, with Israel as well".

Mr Arafat held talks with the EU's special Middle East envoy, Miguel Moratinos, and Austrian Foreign Minister, Wolfgang Schuessel, before flying to the Alpine resort of Poertschach to meet the EU leaders, who are holding their own informal summit.

The EU is the biggest provider of aid to the Palestinians and Mr Arafat sees closer ties with he EU as a counterweight to American ties with Israel.

"We are in need of European help to push forward the peace process and to protect the peace process, because we have to say that there are enemies on both sides against the peace process," he said.

The BBC's David Eades in Austria: "The EU has bigger problems with the Israelis"

Mr Schuessel hailed the Wye River agreement for salvaging a peace process which he said had become dangerously bogged down.

He said the EU was prepared to help and would continue to provide technical and economic aid to the Palestinians. He assured Mr Arafat that an EU donors' conference would be held soon as part of the follow-up measures.