The meeting to ratify the Wye River agreement was twice postponed while Israel insisted that the Palestinian Authority provide firm evidence of the arrest of 30 Islamic militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has announced he is satisfied with Palestinian assurances that 12 of the 30 wanted men are under arrest, and that the others will be detained within 12 weeks.

The BBC's Fergus Nicholl: Despite the delays the Israelis have gained nothing

Israeli government spokesman Moshe Fogel said there was opposition to the agreement and doubts over whether the Palestinians would implement their part of the agreement, however he did not think there would be a problem passing it through the government or the parliament.

BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Adams says the Israeli cabinet debate will be stormy, but Mr Netanyahu is expected to win support for the peace deal, which has to be ratified by parliament before it becomes law. This must be done by 12 November.

During a visit to Madrid on Wednesday, Mr Arafat said his forces would make 100% effort to arrest all 30 of the Palestinians suspected of killing Israelis.

'Shameless tactics'

Mr Arafat avoided criticising the latest delay referring obliquely to the long and difficult road to peace.

But one of his chief negotiators, Saeb Erekat, accused Mr Netanyahu of using shameless tactics to try to wreck the agreement which should have come into force this week.

Mr Erekat said: "[Netanyahu] is inventing new agreements. He does not want to honour anything."

The deal has already been ratified by the Palestinians.

Moshe Fogel: We will give Palestinians benefit of the doubt

Despite suspicion the Israelis want to stall the process, Mr Fogel said the Israelis would stick to the letter of the the agreement.

As part of the agreement the Israelis agreed to release 700 Palestinian prisoners which Mr Fogel said would go ahead in the future exactly as timetabled.