Israeli troops kept their stranglehold on the West Bank city of Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp as international envoys pursued efforts to revive Middle East peace talks after 20 months of bloodshed.
European Union foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana was due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today before flying to Saudi Arabia on the latest leg of his regional tour.
Mr Solana said after talks with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat yesterday that the suffering of ordinary Palestinians made it vital to push ahead with fresh peace moves.
"We are determined to see how we can put a political process forward so that we can see an end to this situation which is terrible for the people of Palestine," he said.
But tension remained high as Israel kept up military raids in Palestinian-ruled areas that it says are crucial to stop suicide attacks.
Israel is resisting any resumption of negotiations before violence ends and the Palestinian Authority is reformed.
An Israeli sniper killed a 23-year-old Nablus man near his home yesterday, Palestinian witnesses and medical officials said. The army said the man had died in an exchange of fire.
It said troops had detained 50 of several hundred people rounded up in Nablus and Balata in incursions launched on Friday. Troops were also operating in the West Bank town of Tulkarm and the Dheisheh refuge camp near Bethlehem.