Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon has called for a restructuring of the Palestinian Authority in a way that would sideline President Mr Yasser Arafat in Middle East peacemaking.
Mr Sharon said Israel would be able to implement a peace plan - which he did not disclose - only if the Palestinian Authority was revamped and Palestinian "violence, terrorism and incitement" ceased.
He was likely to repeat the theme in talks today with US President Mr George W. Bush, who has said the Palestinians deserve a better leadership but has not echoed Mr Sharon's position that Mr Arafat cannot be a peace partner.
Mr Sharon called for "major institutional, structural reforms in the Palestinian Authority . . . with full transparency and accountability" and a unification of its various security forces.
"A responsible Palestinian Authority that can advance the cause of peace should not be dependent on the will of one man," he said, referring to Mr Arafat.
A month-long Israeli siege on Mr Arafat's headquarters, which ended last week in a US-brokered deal, appears to have boosted his popularity among Palestinians angry at Israel's treatment of their leader and its recent West Bank offensive.
Mr Sharon's visit to Washington follows a winding down of the sweep for militants that Israel launched on March 29th after a wave of Palestinian suicide attacks against Israelis.
"In order to achieve peace, all parties, the Arab nations, Israel, Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Authority, must assume their responsibilities and lead," said Mr Bush, who has angered Arabs by calling Mr Sharon "a man of peace."