Israel urged to ease clampdown

Israeli PM Ariel Sharon favours a tough response to militant attacks

The US Middle East envoy, William Burns, has called on Israel to ease its military clampdown on Palestinians, to encourage them to reject violence.

Israeli forces maintain a stranglehold on Palestinian cities and towns across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in an attempt to prevent attacks by militants.

"The humanitarian situation for Palestinians is a very difficult one, and we very much hope that concrete steps can be taken to ease that," Mr Burns told reporters on Sunday after talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

Mr Burns is in the region ahead of a visit later this week by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, as American efforts to get both sides to accept the internationally-backed "roadmap" for Middle East peace intensify.

"This is going to require steps on both sides, if we are going to realise the moment of opportunity which we believe exists now," he said.

The Israeli foreign minister said he had told the envoy that Israel would not endanger itself by withdrawing forces until the Palestinians destroyed their "terrorist infrastructure".

Mr Burns met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon later on Sunday. The envoy also plans to hold talks with the newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas - more commonly known as Abu Mazen - on Monday.

Meeting 'unlikely'

Attempts to set up a meeting between Mr Sharon and Abu Mazen before Mr Powell's visit appear to have faltered.

Abu Mazen has condemned militants attacks against Israel

An Israeli foreign affairs spokesman, Jonathan Peled, told the BBC that a meeting was unlikely to go ahead this week but that Mr Sharon still hoped to meet Abu Mazen as soon as possible after Mr Powell's visit.

The Palestinians have responded by saying they will not meet because there has been no official Israeli response to the roadmap.

The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, who is close to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, told the BBC there would be no meetings until Israel unconditionally accepted the roadmap.

The two men have met several times in secret in recent months while Abu Mazen was an official Palestinian negotiator, but they have not yet met as two prime ministers.

Both sides are coming under pressure from the Americans to return to the negotiating table.

Correspondents say the Israelis have indicated they see Abu Mazan as a pragmatic, moderate successor to Mr Arafat with whom they can do business.