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  Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "knows what he has to do," Sharon told reporters on his plane. "There certainly has to be complete quiet. Without quiet, it will be impossible to move forward on the peace process."

In recent days, a flareup of fighting in the Gaza Strip has left three Palestinian militants dead and militants fired rounds of mortar shells and rockets at Israeli communities.

The fighting has strained a four-month-old cease-fire and threatens to complicate Israel's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said Sunday that Palestinians also want hostilities to end so that talks can progress.

"Both sides should exert an effort to achieve full quiet and once the Israeli guns are silent, we can assure that we will maintain the cessation of violence against Israelis anywhere," he said.

Abbas was scheduled to arrive in Washington on Tuesday and meet with President Bush on Thursday. He has said he would seek political and financial support from the United States.

Sharon reiterated that Israel would launch a harsh military response if Israeli troops came under fire during the planned withdrawal from Gaza in the summer. However, senior Israeli officials have said no major military operations in Gaza are planned.

Sharon dismissed as "baseless" Israeli media reports that the pullback could be delayed beyond mid-August. Sharon said the forced evacuation of Jewish settlers from Gaza would begin Aug. 16 of Aug. 17.

© 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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