European states continued to apply pressure on Israel while public demonstrations took place in Poland and Spain against the occupation of the Palestinian territories, continuing the street protests that have taken place around Europe in recent weeks.
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Palestinian protestors shout slogans and hold banners against Israel and the United States in front of the Israeli embassy in Madrid. Photo Reuters
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France has warned against any use of force that could endanger the life of Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat while EU External Affairs Commissioner Mr Chris Patten accused the Israelis of "hijacking" the "war on terrorism".
The Israeli army is keeping Mr Arafat under virtual house arrest in his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah, although it announced today that it had began a military pull-out from certain sections of the town.
Palestinian security chief, Mr Mohammed Dahlan, said the Israeli army pullback meant little: "As long as they are not willing to withdraw completely, we cannot consider this a withdrawal", he said. "These moves are only done to appease the international community and the United States."
The Israeli army said it had completed its withdrawal from the towns of Nablus and Ramallah. However, the troops were redeployed to "encircle" Nablus and some troops remain in Ramallah surrounding the offices of Mr Arafat. He has been trapped by the Israelis since the start of the military operation on March 29th.
Troops also remained in Bethlehem, where more than 200 people are holed up in the Church of the Nativity, where they are rapidly running out of food and water, according to a Palestinian negotiator.
The French foreign ministry said its consul in Jerusalem had been able to meet Mr Arafat, along with several French activists holed up in his besieged headquarters.
There have also been a number of demonstrations across Europe over the weekend with several hundred people forming a human chain between the Israeli embassy and the offices of the Palestinian representation in Warsaw to call for peace in the Middle East. The two-mile chain was organised by the Polish branch of Amnesty International.
And between 5,000 and 15,000 people marched through the centre of Madrid, the day after between 50,000 and 75,000 people took to the streets in the Spanish port of Valencia to protest against globalisation and the Middle East crisis, ahead of a Euro-Mediterranean (Euromed) meeting this week.
Not all the weekend's demonstrations were in support of the Palestinians however, with 1,500 people gathering in front of Copenhagen's city hall in support of Israel.
According to a report in the Spanish newpaper El Mundo, the European Union has called for new talks on the Middle East crisis involving the EU, the United Nations, United States and Russia.
Spain, which currently holds the EU presidency, plans to organise a meeting in Washington on May 4th involving the same quartet which had preceded US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell's 10-day Middle East visit, it reported.
Mr Powell ended his mission empty-handed on Friday, unable to obtain a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians.
A top EU official said Israel had "hijacked the campaign against terrorism" with its devastating military offensive into the West Bank.
EU external affairs commissioner Mr Chris Patten said widespread anger at the Israeli action made it much more difficult for the international community to deal with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who is accused of accumulating weapons of mass destruction.
The EU has demanded an impartial international inquiry into the events at the devastated West Bank refugee camp of Jenin, scene of the fiercest fighting during the Israeli operation.
Pressure on Israel has mounted in Europe following the events in Jenin with Palestinians saying the Israeli army killed several hundred Palestinians when it began a massive crackdown on the camp on April 3rd.
Israel has rejected the accusation, saying dozens were killed, most of them Palestinian militants it had aimed to root out in its offensive across the occupied Palestinian territories that began at the end of March.
- Israeli troops shot dead an activist belonging to Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat's Fatah group by a West Bank village northeast of Tulkarem.
Palestinian security sources say Mr Nasser Badran (33) was shot dead by Israeli troops just outside the village of Deir al-Ghusun, close to the farm where he lived, the sources said.
Mr Badran fled the farm as Israeli troops approached, but was struck down by two bullets, they added.
But the Israeli army said a man had approached a surprise checkpoint just outside Deir al-Ghusun, and fled when asked for identification, causing the soldiers to shout, then to fire in the air.
AFP