Abbas asks forces to prevent attacks

Israel described the measure as a "small step," but not enough to resume ties with Abbas, which it cut the day before he was sworn in to succeed Yasser Arafat Saturday. The Israeli move followed an attack in Gaza that killed six Israelis.

Israel has made a halt to violence a condition for talks and the bloodshed in Gaza has weighed on optimism for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after Arafat's death.

"Abu Mazen (Abbas) and the cabinet gave clear instructions to the security chiefs to prevent all kinds of violence, including attacks against Israel," cabinet minister Qadoura Fares told Reuters.

Fares did not say exactly what action would be taken by the security forces, which have been sapped by four years of violence and some of whom lack weapons. Close ties often also exist with militants, seen as heroes by many Palestinians.

Abbas is due to visit Gaza this week for a new attempt to win over militants to a truce that could strengthen prospects for talks on Palestinian statehood on land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israel has little faith the militants can be won over and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the army Sunday it could take any action needed "to stop terror."

Reacting to Abbas's order, a senior Israel official said: "There is no doubt this is a small step in the right direction. The real test will be in implementation."

Israeli officials said yesterday that despite Sharon's green light for military action, major operations would be delayed by two to three weeks to give Abbas a chance. Localised raids and assassinations of militant commanders remained an option.

AFP adds: Hamas dismissed yesterday a demand by the Palestine Liberation Organisation to halt attacks against Israel, saying such a call helped Israel justify its military operations in the occupied territories.

Israeli troops killed two Islamic Jihad gunmen yesterday when they attacked vehicles on a road between Israel and a Jewish settlement in Gaza that Sharon plans to give up this year under a plan to "disengage" from the conflict.