Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat appealed today for the "urgent" dispatch of international observers to Israel and the Palestinian territories to help end the violence there and revive the peace process.
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Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat
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"We are in need quickly of observers from the European Union, from the United Nations, from the co-sponsors and from everywhere to stop the violence and to protect the peace process," Mr Arafat told reporters after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Mr Goeran Persson.
Mr Persson, whose country holds the EU presidency until June 30th, declined to comment on Mr Arafat's appeal for observers. But he repeated the need for Israel and the Palestinians to take immediate steps to end violence between them.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul has dispatched two senior envoys to Jerusalem to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to try to broker a ceasefire in their conflict, the Vatican said today.
A statement said the envoys would meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
The envoys, including Cardinal Pio Laghi, a seasoned diplomat, would hand the two leaders a personal letter from the Pope.
The aim of their mission was to encourage both sides to reach a ceasefire and to resume a dialogue.
AFP