Israel yesterday partially lifted a six-month ban on Palestinian labourers crossing into its territory and voiced regret over its troops firing on a convoy carrying Palestinian security chiefs.
But Israeli diplomatic sources said security talks that the sides had agreed to hold on Monday had been cancelled. Palestinian officials said their leaders had never actually decided to meet the Israelis.
In the West Bank, a 40-year-old Palestinian was shot dead in the village of Beitunia, the latest victim of more than six months of Israeli-Palestinian violence, a hospital doctor said. In other violence, an Israeli spokesman said, Palestinians had vandalised the Karni crossing point where the sides transfer goods between Israel and Gaza, forcing Israel to close it.
An official spokesman said Israel had issued permits for 3,200 Palestinian labourers to cross into Israel to work. He said up to 1,000 were expected to resume work in Israel today.
Citing security reasons at the start of the Palestinian uprising more than six months ago, Israel imposed a blockade on Palestinian areas from where up to 120,000 labourers used to travel to Israel.
At least 370 Palestinians, 71 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed since the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation erupted in late September.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, expressed regret for last Thursday's convoy incident in a letter to US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell, Mr Sharon's spokesman said. Two Palestinian bodyguards were slightly injured.
"We said we regretted that these kinds of incidents occurred . . . It was regret that was expressed because there is no co-ordination on security with the Palestinian Authority," Mr Sharon's spokesman, Mr Raanan Gissin, said.
The Israeli army said at the time that soldiers at a crossing between Israel and Palestinian-ruled Gaza had fired in response to shots from the convoy. Palestinians denied firing shots.