Maher (R) with Arafat and Qorei (C)

"Egypt is working for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which requires the Israeli side to make clear its good intentions in order that we can approach peace," Maher told a press conference after talks with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Maher, accompanied by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, said peace talks should resume "on a sound and clear basis and according to a well defined agenda which covers all the issues.

"The Palestinian people have suffered greatly and it is time that their struggle is rewarded with a just and durable peace."

Arafat thanked Egypt, particularly President Hosni Mubarak, for its efforts to re-launch the long-stalled peacemaking drive.

"We have reached agreement on many important steps," Arafat said without giving details.

His chief advisor, Nabil Abu Rudeina, later said the steps included a joint approach to the issues of "contacts with Israel and the wall", in reference to the West Bank separation barrier being erected by Israel.

Maher condemned the wall, adding that Egypt would make a deposition against it for a hearing by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) next month to determine the barrier's legality .

"We are going to deliver an official memorandum to the ICJ tomorrow detailing our position about the illegal nature of the wall."

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei, who also took part in the talks, said Maher had expressed his backing for a series of security reforms that he announced a day earlier, calling them "a very important move."

Egypt has been at the forefront of efforts to persuade Palestinian resistance groups such as Hamas and Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades to declare a ceasefire.

"Hudna (truce) should not be the only topic brought by the Egyptian delegation as this will sure lead us nowhere. Talks should tackle Palestinian possible options to face the Israeli aggressions, "political analyst and professor of Political Sciences at Bier Zeit University, Dr. Ali el-Garabawi, told IslamOnline.net.

"If we have a comprehensive dialogue wherein hudna is just one item, an Israeli response should be waited. Hudna should be between two parties, not just the Palestinians. "

Even a proposal by the Palestinian factions to spare Palestinian and Israeli civilians was rejected by Israel .

Late last month, Maher paid his first visit to Israel in more than two years as a sign of a thaw in relations between the two neighbors.

But the visit ended in controversy, with Maher needing hospital treatment after being assaulted by angry Palestinians during his visit to Al-Haram Al-Sharif in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem).