CIA director George Tenet held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Thursday and is to meet with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat later in the day. Deep mistrust, conflicting demands and outbreaks of violence are making his mission more difficult. U.S. officials say Mr. Tenet's goal is to start serious discussions at the security level to bolster a fragile ceasefire that has been in effect this week. An Israeli spokesman says Mr. Sharon told the U.S. visitor he demands a halt to terror, violence and incitement, which he said have not ceased. Israel wants the Palestinian Authority to arrest Islamic militants from groups that have been behind recent suicide bombings.
Palestinian officials reject the demand.
The Israeli army denies any incursion into Palestinian Authority-controlled land. In the West Bank, Israeli troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at Palestinian stone-throwers in the divided city of Hebron. Israeli soldiers also clashed outside Ramallah with Palestinian students angry about the blockade that prevents them from reaching Bir Zeit University. Wednesday night, several thousand Jewish settlers gathered in Jerusalem urging Prime Minister Sharon to abandon restraint and strike at the Palestinians. Email this article to a friend.