Sharon urges US to shun Arafat

Arafat is trying to counter Sharon's efforts to isolate him

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is expected to urge US President George W Bush to sever ties with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during talks between the two in Washington.

But the White House has said Mr Bush will not do so - although he recently expressed disappointment with Mr Arafat's efforts to curb Palestinian attacks against Israel.

We are doing all in our capabilities, but not to forget we are in a complete siege

Yasser Arafat

Mr Arafat, however, told the BBC that he was doing all he could to stop militant attacks against Israelis - but his hands were tied because of the Israeli blockade on him and his security forces.

Mr Sharon's visit comes as violence escalates in the Middle East - the latest in the West Bank, where Israeli aircraft made two separate attacks on Palestinian Authority targets in the town of Nablus after a Palestinian attack on a Jewish settlement that killed three Israelis.

During the raids, the Palestinian Authority freed Palestinian prisoners in Jenin and Nablus because it said it feared that Israel might attack the prisons.

Before meeting Mr Bush, Prime Minister Sharon put Israel's case to US National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice.

Mr Sharon's fourth meeting with Mr Bush in the year since his overwhelming election victory will further strengthen his position at the head of Israel's national unity government, analysts say.

Propaganda war

Mr Arafat - apparently seeking to pre-empt Mr Sharon's attempt to isolate him further - said he still wanted the United States to be a peace broker.

	Feb 2001 Wins landslide victory and builds national unity government Aug 2001 Israeli forces assassinate Mustafa Zibri, PFLP leader Oct 2001 Tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi assassinated by Palestinian militants Dec 2001 Yasser Arafat declared "irrelevant", relations cut with Palestinian Authority Jan 2002 Meets senior Palestinian officials for the first time since coming to power See also: In depth: Israel and the Palestinians

"The main sponsors of the peace process are the Americans," he said. "It started with President Bush, the father... and we hope that President Bush, the son, will complete the mission."

So far, however, American attempts to end more than 16 months of bloodshed have come to nothing.

During their meeting, Mr Bush and Mr Sharon are also expected to discuss Iran and Iraq, countries included in what Mr Bush calls 'the axis of evil'.

Mr Sharon is expected to ask for Israel's inclusion in any US action against these two countries - correspondents say that is something the United States would wish to avoid.

So while Mr Sharon will be warmly received, there is still tension between him and Mr Bush, says the BBC's Washington correspondent Jon Leyne.

Strained relations

But Mr Arafat has yet to be invited to Washington by the Bush administration. He appears increasingly isolated and has rarely been in a weaker position.

Palestinians pick up the pieces after the retaliatory raid on Nablus

US officials say Mr Bush will turn down Mr Sharon's request for the United States to suspend diplomatic contact with Mr Arafat.

But correspondents say the Israeli prime minister will nevertheless receive a sympathetic hearing because of the frequent attacks on Israeli civilians, which some Americans equate with the 11 September suicide attacks in the United States.

On the eve of Mr Sharon's meeting with Mr Bush, the Palestinian Authority said it had arrested nearly 200 militants, frozen dozens of bank accounts and shut down 15 munitions factories in its efforts to curb violence.

US-Palestinian relations, however, have deteriorated since the seizure of a ship last month which Israel said had been smuggling weapons from Iran to Gaza.