Monday, January 17 2005 10:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) has made a strong plea to militants to stop attacks against Israel, which, it said, gave Tel Aviv an excuse to block the peace process.

The PLO's executive committee, which is regarded as the highest decision making body, said that it "demanded halting all military acts that harm our national interests and provide excuses to Israel, which wishes to obstruct Palestinian stability", local media reported.

The PLO did not say what action it would take against militant outfits that defy its will.

The PLO's stand is considered a welcome break in a hostile environment in which the two sides are more liable to rush headlong into taking increasingly violent actions against each other than to take a step back towards peace and waiting the other side to respond.

The PLO also made it clear that it wanted the 'roadmap' peace plan with Israel to move forward.

After being sworn in as Palestinian Authority President, Abbas said that the Palestinians attacks against Israelis were hampering efforts to "bring about the calm needed to enable a credible, serious peace process."

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had alleged that PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas had done nothing to stop attacks against Israelis.

Sharon ordered a freeze on all contact with the Palestinian Authority on Friday (Jan 14, 2005) in the aftermath of a suicide attack on a border crossing between Gaza and Israel in which six Israelis were killed.