Armed guards at Israeli synagogues

Arafat sent holiday greetings to Israel and ordered his forces to strictly observe a cease-fire

JERUSALEM -- Guards are to be posted outside Israeli synagogues and some worshippers will be armed as Jewish new year celebrations begin at sunset on Monday.

Israeli security forces are on high alert for the two-day holiday of Rosh Hashana despite a message from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat that he has ordered his forces to strictly observe an existing cease-fire.

Over the weekend, Israel arrested what it said was a cell from the Islamic group Hamas planning bomb attacks for the holiday, Reuters news agency reported.

"We are continuing to prepare for attacks in our region," police operations head Dan Ronen told Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in a telephone call he would allow high-level talks with the Palestinians only after 48 hours of calm.

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On Monday, gun battles erupted in the West Bank and Gaza, killing one Palestinian man and wounding 15 people, including five boys, The Associated Press reported.

In one clash, Israeli tank shells hit a mosque, kindergarten and rescue vehicle, witnesses told AP.

In his message congratulating Israelis on Rosh Hashana, Arafat said: "I have issued strict orders to abide by the cease-fire, and we hope that the Israeli government will respond to our call for peace."

In addition, Arafat said: "I extend my congratulations to the Israeli people toward the Jewish new year. I hope this holiday will be the beginning of a new era of peace and security between the two peoples -- the Israelis and Palestinians and other people in the region."

Arafat said he was ready to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres at any time.

Sharon called off a meeting on Sunday between Peres and Arafat, and no new date for a meeting has been set.

In the wake of the hijack strikes against the United States last week, Israeli police said their fear of an attack during the holiday was greater than in previous years.

As they did during the 1991 Gulf War, Israelis lined up at gas mask distribution centres fearing an Iraqi attack on Israel if the United States goes to war in the region.

About 9,000 people collected gas masks on Sunday, compared with a average of 2,000 people a day before last Tuesday's attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.

Israeli police were deployed at malls, bus stations and street corners. They said at least one armed guard would be stationed at every synagogue around the country while some worshippers with gun licences would be allowed to bring weapons to services.

Sharon says he will allow high-level talks with Palestinians after 48 hours of calm

According to Jewish law, weapons cannot be carried on holy days unless there is a danger to human life.

In his telephone call to Sharon late on Sunday, Powell asked to be briefed on progress toward Israeli-Palestinian talks.

"He (Powell) did not exert any pressure" on Israel to agree to truce talks, Sharon told Israel radio, according to AP. Sharon said the United States instead was pushing Arafat to order a cease-fire.

Continued fighting is expected to hurt U.S. efforts to have Arab states join an international anti-terror coalition following last week's attacks on New York and Washington.