The Islamic radical group Hamas rejected yesterday an appeal by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to call a new halt to its attacks on Israel as diplomatic efforts to salvage the troubled Middle East peace roadmap gathered pace.

Hamas political leader Abdelaziz Rantissi said that there was no prospect of a resumption of the ceasefire while Israel continued targetting its followers.

Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad both called off a seven-week-old truce last week in the aftermath of the killing of senior Hamas figure Ismail Abu Shanab in an Israeli air strike in Gaza.

The truce had already been effectively wrecked by a Hamas suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem last week which left 21 people dead.

"Hamas rejects the appeal (by Arafat) to resume the truce as the Zionist occupation has torpedoed the truce with their assassinations of women, children and Palestinian political leaders," Rantissi told AFP.

"We cannot speak about a truce while aggression against the Palestinian people continues."

Arafat said in a statement Wednesday that a renewal of the truce would "give a chance to all peaceful international efforts for the implementation of the roadmap", in reference to the US-backed peace plan.

Arafat's call followed an appeal by US Secretary of State Colin Powell for the veteran leader to work with his moderate prime minister Mahmud Abbas to stop the spiral of violence. The US and Israel have refused to talk to Arafat, whom they accuse of seeking to undermine the roadmap and Abbas.

But officials in Washington pointedly ignored Arafat's call and instead stepped up criticism of his refusal to give Abbas full control of security.

The White House and the State Department both said Arafat had no business in conducting peace efforts with Israel and should move aside to make way for a more empowered Abbas.

"Arafat has once again shown himself to be part of the problem," White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan told reporters in Crawford, Texas where Bush is on holiday. "He is not part of the solution."

Israel also dismissed the appeal by Arafat, accusing the veteran leader of urging militant factions to continue their attacks during the truce.

"The appeal by Arafat is totally irrelevant. What he says has no interest for us as during the so-called ceasefire he was pushing the terrorist organisations to carry out attacks against Israel," senior government spokesman Avi Pazner told AFP.

"He is not a partner for peace. He wants to weaken Mahmud Abbas and undermine (security minister) Mohammed Dahlan."

Powell's deputy, Richard Armitage, is due to travel to the region next month for talks to help salvage the roadmap.