The US bolstered its new Middle East peace mission to end 14 months of fighting after new violence in which Israeli commandos seized two suspected Palestinian militants.
The Israeli army said this morning it had closed down offices of the Palestinian security services run illegally on the outskirts of Arab East Jerusalem, under Israeli security control.
The overnight operation was intended to prevent terrorist activity in the area, the army said.
In Washington, US President Mr George W. Bush authorised a new mediating team on yesterday. The team leaves for the Middle East on Sunday, seeking to broker an end to a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation that began in September 2000.
"The point is to get to work with the parties to help the parties to come to arrangements for a ceasefire, US State Department spokesman Mr Richard Boucher said.
Earlier, the Palestinian Authority said the diplomatic effort unveiled on Monday by Secretary of State Gen Colin Powell would fail if Israel stuck to its demand for a violence-free week before starting a US-led truce-to-talks plan.
Gen Powell called on Palestinian President Mr Yasser Arafat to make a 100 per cent effort to halt militant attacks and said Israel must end its occupation of Palestinian areas and ease its military blockades.
Israeli sources said soldiers might be pulled back from the West Bank town of Jenin - the last of six Palestinian areas reoccupied last month to remain in Israeli hands - before Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon visits Washington next month.