Intense diplomatic activity continued in the Middle East yesterday despite further violence. The US special envoy, Gen Anthony Zinni, held meetings with both sides in an attempt to secure a ceasefire in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The death toll continued to mount with reports that an armed Palestinian killed a young woman in the Israeli town of Kfar Saba near the West Bank and was himself shot dead by an armed truck-driver and two policemen; a suicide bomber blew himself up at a bus-stop in a Jewish district of Jerusalem; and a Palestinian militiaman was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces in Bethlehem.
Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem blast.
Gen Zinni was meeting Israel's President, Mr Moshe Katsav, when news of the Kfar Saba attack reached him. "It is critical that the Palestinian Authority take responsibility and act against terror," he said. "Now is the time to get to a ceasefire."
More than 190 Palestinians and 60 Israelis have been killed already this month.
At least 1,074 Palestinians and 345 Israelis have been killed since the current Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began in September 2000.
The latest attacks may discourage Israel from acceding to a key Palestinian precondition for a ceasefire, namely, full withdrawal from areas under Palestinian jurisdiction. Following US pressure, Israeli forces were withdrawn from the West Bank towns of Ramallah, Qalqilya and Tulkarem but they remain in Beit Jalla and Bethlehem.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has dropped a demand for seven days of calm before holding talks with the Palestinians.
A senior Israeli government adviser, Mr Dore Gold, said: "Israel has offered a ceasefire, pulled back most of its forces in good faith, and this seems to be the answer Israel is receiving."
In an effort to facilitate Gen Zinni's efforts, Israel had gone "the extra mile" by setting aside the requirement for seven days of quiet and pulling back virtually all of its forces. "We are ready to go forward for a ceasefire, the ball really is in the Palestinian court."
He said in the past year and a half Mr Arafat's Tanzim snipers had taken up position in Beit Jalla and were shooting across a ravine into civilian apartments in the Jewish district of Gilo.
On a possible role for international monitors, Mr Gold told CNN they could be useful when a conflict had already been resolved, for example, in Sinai to monitor the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. "When you put monitors in an ongoing conflict, they become part of the problem, not the solution," Mr Gold said.
A senior official from President Arafat's office told journalists he hoped the international community would continue "urging the US to put enough pressure on the Israelis to start implementing the Tenet and Mitchell reports, otherwise we will stay in a very dangerous situation".
The situation was "very critical and we are facing a turning-point".
He continued: "The American steps are very important, but we need to see actions, not just words. The visit of Zinni is very important and the understandings which he reached with President Arafat are very crucial, very important. We need to see the start of the withdrawal of the Israeli army and the beginning of the implementation of the Tenet understandings."
He was "definitely" encouraged by the EU declaration on the Middle East at the Barcelona summit. "It's an important declaration especially after the security council resolution. This worldwide community position is very powerful."