'Israel, Palestinians close to accord'

"We are close now to reach an agreement," Shalom told reporters following a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum (WEF) on the shores of the Dead Sea.

"Israel is willing to leave Gaza and Bethlehem. It is up to the Palestinians to decide if they are willing to take the territories under their responsibility," Shalom said.

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But Shalom insisted that the Palestinians "have to put an end to the terrorism and violence

"The Palestinian leadership has to make serious choices by taking immediate action against terror," Shalom said.

He also said that killing late Saturday of a senior Hamas official by Israeli troops on the West Bank was part of efforts to arrest militants wanted by the Jewish state.

"We are trying to arrest the terrorists and unfortunately for him he was trying to escape," Shalom said of Abdullah Qawasmeh.

For his part Moasher said that the Palestinian radical group Hamas "has to stop all their actions and we hope the Palestinians will reach an agreement about this".

"But we also hope that there will be a new environment in the region conducive to implementing... the roadmap," Moasher said.

Moasher stressed, however, that "Israel needs to give some space for the agreement to materialise", adding that "everyone is encouraged by the seriousness of the United States".

Meanwhile, Palestinian officials told AFP Sunday they would soon reach an agreement with Israel on regaining control of the army-occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank town of Bethlehem but that they needed further US and Israeli guarantees.

"We're still working with the Americans and Israel to reach this agreement and it's highly possible we will succeed but there are conditions," said Palestinian information minister Nabil Amr.

"We need US and Israeli guarantees that assassinations and arrests (of militants) will stop and that Israel will liberate Palestinian prisoners," he said.

Amr was reacting to earlier declarations by Israeli Foreigh Minister Sylvan Shalom that both sides were "close now to reach an agreement."

"Israel is willing to leave Gaza and Bethlehem. It is up to the Palestinians to decide if they are willing to take the territories under their responsibility," Shalom told reporters at a World Economic Forum in Jordan.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell urged Palestinian officials Friday, as he visited the region to kickstart peace efforts, to take charge of security in certain occupied lands regardless of whether Islamic militants sign on to a ceasefire deal.

Palestinian culture minister Ziab Abu Amer, who is also spearheading efforts to negotiate a truce with hardline Palestinian groups, slammed Shalom's comments as "not honest" and "not serious."