Middle_East

Middle East Gen Zinni was the first foreign official permitted to visit Mr Arafat since Israeli troops entered the Palestinian headquarters last week. Journalists were barred from covering the meeting and Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at a group of about 30 reporters who had approached the compound. Despite US pressure, Israel continued its offensive in the West Bank, with at least 13 Palestinians killed in fighting overnight and on Friday. President George W. Bush on Thursday called on Israel to halt attacks on Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank and withdraw from cities it has already occupied. After a barrage of criticism from the US's Arab and European allies - including Tony Blair - he also announced he would send Colin Powell, secretary of state, to the region to try to negotiate a ceasefire and restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The mission was later unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council on Thursday night in a motion that also called for an Israeli withdrawal "without delay". "America recognises Israel's right to defend itself from terror," Mr Bush said. "Yet to lay the foundations of future peace, I ask Israel to halt incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas and middle, east, israeli, bush, said, israel, palestinian, palestinians, arafat, west, thursday, bank, week, president, occupied, halt, european, cities, blair, yet, without, withdrawal, visit, violence, urged, troops, towns, territories, talks, statement, state, since, sharon, senior, security, secretary