Palestinian leaders expressed concern about Israel's threat to draw a West Bank border unilaterally if peace talks break down, while Egypt sent a senior envoy to push for a halt to violence, the first step toward renewed negotiations.

The Egyptian official, Osama el-Baz, pressed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday to lead the way toward ending three years of violence with Israel, saying he is hopeful Israel will respond positively.

El-Baz, a top aide to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, voiced optimism after his meeting with Arafat.

"We are deeply concerned to get out of this problematic situation which threatens the whole region," he said. "What I heard from President Arafat makes me more hopeful for the future."

With Egyptian backing, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia has been trying for months to persuade militant groups to halt attacks on Israel.

That could pave the way toward a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and full-fledged negotiations on the U.S.-backed "road map" a peace plan that envisions an independent Palestinian state by 2005.

The road map requires the Palestinians to disarm the militant groups and the Israelis to freeze settlement construction steps neither side has taken, with Israel insisting the Palestinians must act first. The plan does not include details of final borders or other main issues.

Sharon said last month that if there is no progress on the road map, he would move to unilaterally redraw the lines between Israel and the Palestinians.

Sharon hasn't detailed his plans, but said the Palestinians would do far better under a negotiated settlement. Aides suggest the plan would leave Israel effectively holding onto sparsely populated areas adding up to almost half the West Bank, and dismantling some settlements in the area fully evacuated.

El-Baz urged Arafat, whom Israel and the United States accuse of fomenting terrorism, to act quickly to improve the environment.

"We, from our side, should take decisions and measures that can lead the way to a better future," el-Baz said. "Then, we hope the Israelis will do the same."

Arafat, who has been confined to Ramallah for two years by Israeli troops, said only that they had discussed "the problems that we face as the Palestinian people."

Although Arafat gave no promises, there were some signs of possible movement in the Palestinian position.

A senior Palestinian official told The Associated Press that there are growing concerns among the Palestinian leadership about Sharon's threatened go-it-alone plan which might create the impression worldwide that the occupation is over and the Palestinian problem resolved.

Syria's recent overture about resuming peace talks with Israel has also alarmed the Palestinians, the official said.

If those talks were to resume, it could take attention away from the Palestinian cause and also lead to Syria expelling Palestinian militant groups from Damascus.

The Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Palestinians hope to reach an understanding with the United States over a cease-fire that would precede the thorny question of how to dismantle the militant groups.

Khatem Abdel Khader, a Palestinian lawmaker who participated in Thursday's meeting, said Egypt is pressing the militant groups to resume truce talks. A meeting of the groups last month in Cairo ended without agreement.

Palestinian sources said the United States, Israel's closest ally, has through intermediaries been involved in efforts to get the militant group Hamas to commit to the truce.

Israel has in the past insisted it would accept nothing less than a full disarming of the militants. But recently, officials have hinted that Israel might respond favorably to a cease-fire.

Palestinian officials said Thursday's meeting had also been aimed at repairing relations with Egypt, a week after Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher was assaulted by a Palestinian crowd during a visit to a key Jerusalem holy site.

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