JERUSALEM, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A senior Egyptian political adviser met with Palestinian and Israeli leaders Friday to assess heightened tensions.
Osama El-Baz, the political adviser to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom in Tel Aviv to discuss the renewed hostility in the region since Tuesday's suicide bombing in Jerusalem, Ha'aretz reported.
Earlier, El-Baz met with Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
El-Baz brought Arafat a letter from Mubarak and was expected to press the Palestinian Authority to take immediate action against the militant Palestinian groups, Israeli media reported.
Meanwhile, Israel decided Thursday night on a 24-hour lull in military action against Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets.
During the break, it will wait to see if its suspended military campaign and U.S. pressure on the Palestinian Authority leads to it confronting the terror organizations.
