Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will depart for the United States on Sunday, where he will meet with American President George Bush. Despite the continued Palestinian violence, Bush is expected to pressure Sharon to continue his policy of restraint. In addition, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who will visit the Middle East next week, is expected to press for the implementation of the Mitchell Report - including negotiations with the PA and a settlement freeze - even before a ceasefire is achieved. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres told a representative of the European Union with whom he met today that the Palestinian Authority has not yet taken steps to arrest bomb-carrying terrorists, as required by last week\'s Tenet ceasefire agreement.



Arabs in Hevron hurled ten Molotov cocktails at an Israeli army force today; no one was hurt... A roadside bomb was activated during the night against an IDF patrol on the Netzarim-Karni highway in Gaza. No one was hurt... Yesterday saw a long battle between Palestinian grenade-throwers and IDF soldiers; grenades were also hurled last night at Israeli soldiers near Rafiach and N\'vei Dekalim.