Egyptian optimism following Sharon 's meeting, occupation forces continue invasion

Two Israelis were killed in an ambush implanted by Palestinian fighters near Kesovim settlement in the downtown of Gaza. A third was wounded in Hebron, while 12 Palestinians were wounded in Jenin, Nablus and Khan Younis by the occupation army which detained 15 Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israeli sources said that the fire was opened at a group of Israelis while moving in Kesovim in the downtown of Gaza. A military spokesman admitted that the two killed men are officers in the Israeli army.

Egypt's foreign minister Ahmed Maher has called for the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis as soon as possible, according to the Roadmap peace plan.

In a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Silvan Shaloum, Maher stressed that he heard a commitment from the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon on implementing the plan.

Concerning the truce, Maher said he had heard from Sharon recently an encouraging statement and a desire to achieve the truce, noting that he heard from Sharon that halting operations of the Israeli forces against the Palestinians is linked to calm from the Palestinian side.

For his part, the Israeli foreign minister expressed happiness to have Maher in Israel, considering that as an evidence of warmth in his country's relations with Egypt. Shalom asked for the development of relations between the two sides in the fields of tourism, agriculture, and commerce, but Maher linked that to the development of the peace process.

Maher arrived in Israel on Monday in a short visit during which he seeks to resumed the suspended peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Maher's visit to Israel came amid Egyptian efforts to reach a truce between the Palestinian groups and Israel.

Upon his arrival, the Egyptian foreign minister held talks in Jerusalem with the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon.

Following the meeting Sharon expressed his confidence that relations between Israel and Egypt "will be consolidated and I am confident that this will contribute to strengthening our relations with the Palestinians authority and to signing an agreement with it." News reports in Palestine said that the visit constitutes an important landmark for returning back relations to normalcy after two years of diplomatic cessation after Egypt had pulled out its ambassador to Israel, a short time after the eruption of the Palestinian Intifada in September, 2000.

The reports added that it is not known whether Maher had got Israeli guarantees that facilitate Egypt's role as a mediator to convince Palestinian resistance groups accept the truce.

Meantime, the Israeli occupation forces, backed by 30 armored vehicles broke once again Balata camp which is close to Nablus in the West Bank yesterday after it had withdrawn from it on Sunday. The occupation forces launched a campaign of arrest targeted more than 10 Palestinians.

Under an intensive air cover, some 20 Israeli tanks invaded the western quarters in Jenin to the north of the West Bank.