Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit Saturday called on the Palestinians to stop the "militarization" of their anti-Israel Intifada (uprising), the official MENA news agency reported.

The foreign minister was quoted as saying that the Palestinians should shift towards a new phase of Intifada which would involve "

active negotiations that would help achieve the Palestinian demands."

He said if the Palestinians stop the armed uprising, which was also called for by Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chief Mahmoud Abbas, the Israeli side should also stop military operations and "acts of provocation".

The Egyptian top diplomat said these confidence-building measures would lead to a way out of the current deadlocked situation, adding that the latest developments in the Palestinian territories did not encourage a hoped-for progress towards peace in the region.

Palestinian militants blew up an Israeli army base at the Gaza-Egypt crossing last Sunday by using a explosives-laded tunnel, killing at least four Israeli soldiers and wounding 10 others.

It was the largest Palestinian attack since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died on Nov. 11 and Israel has since stepped up its military operations against Palestinian militants.

Egypt, a major political power in the region, has intensified mediation efforts to help the Palestinians and Israelis to restart the stalled peace process after Arafat's death.

Source: Xinhua