US condemns Israeli attempts to storm West Bank towns

The US administration yesterday condemned Israeli attempt to storm the Palestinian territories. The State Department said that such Israeli attempts blow up efforts exerted to defuse crisis, and contain the violence.

Meanwhile, the U.S. cautiously welcomed the report on Mitchell's Commission on confrontations in the Palestinian territories.

The spokesman for the White House Ari Fleischer said the report included constructive recommendations and future vision, adding that the report is being studied by all parties.

The report submitted by the commission to the US government, the Palestinian and Israeli sides and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan aimed at working constructively with the parties concerned and providing an objective independent review of the current crisis, said Fleischer.

The report, however, is not complete as it is still undergoing study by the parties whose replies are received by the US administration, said Fleischer in press statements.

The US White House Spokesman declined to comment over certain issues or reactions pertaining to the report, including Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's objections to the Mitchell commission s request to have the Jewish settlement activities frozen.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, criticised the recent report by the Mitchell fact-finding commission on the confrontation between the Palestinians and Israelis.

During a news conference late Tuesday, Peres claimed that the committee's recommendations that Israeli settlement activities should be stopped could hinder pro-Mideast peace efforts, according to Israel's radio.

Peres claimed that Israel has been trying to put an end to what he termed as "acts of violence."

However, the top Israeli diplomat said that there is possibility of reaching an understanding based on recommendations of the Mitchell committee.

He pointed out that he had invited German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his Foreign Minister Jushka Fischer to visit Israel, an Egyptian report said.