US, in contact with Egypt, Jordan to resume peace negotiations
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said his country works with Egypt and Jordan to resume the Palestinian- Israeli peace talks.
Washington is committed to bringing the conflict in the Middle East to a stop, he added. Powell was quoted by CNN as saying that it was difficult for Washington at present to give up its role in the region.
Powell was addressing the Arab-American institute in Washington.
He added that he was sustaining close contacts with Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Powell believed that removing trade barriers was an important step towards resuming peace talks.
On the other hand, Israeli troops stormed areas under the Palestinian authority control in Beit Jala for hours.
The Palestinian authorities condemned the Israeli occupation forces' attempts to reoccupy positions in Beit Jala City, Bethlehem governorate in the West Bank.
Palestinian Minister of Local Administration Saeb Erekat urged the EU, the US administration and UN Secretary General to work for grinding to a halt the Israeli settlement practices.
In statements issued Erekat stressed that the Israeli acts of aggression were continuing on the various towns and the siege was still imposed on Palestinian territories.
He noted that reoccupying areas under the control of the Palestinian authority was part and parcel of Israeli plans aiming at destroying the peace process.
Fifteen Palestinians including a child were wounded, when Israeli forces opened fire from their tanks and heavy machine guns in Beit Jala City and khedr town.
Nicola Abu Ghannam, 5, was injured seriously in his shoulder, and was immediately rushed to hospital; Palestinian Satellite Channel quoted hospital sources as saying.
"The residents were taken by surprise when they were inside their houses as the bombing started at 8 a.m.," eyewitnesses said.
A number of houses were damaged in the bombing, and ambulances were hardly able to move to transport the injured to hospitals.