July 12, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 11, 1424

GAZA CITY, July 11: Bodyguards for Palestinian minister of state for security affairs Mohammed Dahlan’s shot and wounded a militant from the Hamas on Thursday night, witnesses said.

As Mr Dahlan’s convoy was returning from a meeting at the Erez crossing point with Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz, the bodyguards opened fire on a Hamas militant who was on the roadside.

Mohammed al-Simri, a 30-year-old member of Hamas’ military wing, was armed at the time of the incident.

Hamas leader Abdelaziz al-Rantissi said the bodyguards “had no reason to open fire and we demand legal action against the one who wounded our militant”.

Meanwhile, Israelis and Palestinians continued on Friday to advance haltingly along their roadmap to peace, but the latest high-level security talks failed to yield any breakthrough on the key issues.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian prime minister Mahmoud Abbas were expected in Washington at the end of the month for meetings with US President George Bush which could give peace efforts new momentum.

Despite earlier uncertainty due to deep divisions within the Palestinian leadership, Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz met Palestinian security minister Mohammad Dahlan on Thursday evening at the Erez crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Mr Mofaz pressed Mr Dahlan “to act more quickly against radical groups so the peace process can continue”, Israeli public radio reported.

“The meeting was short and serious,” a Palestinian security official said. “The issue of the release of all (Palestinian) prisoners was addressed.”

The US-backed roadmap for peace had been picking up momentum after a Palestinian truce announcement and the Israeli army’s withdrawal from much of Gaza and the West Bank city of Bethlehem, but the process has since stumbled on the issue of the release of Palestinian prisoners.—AFP