GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip ? Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza early today, hours before Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was to ask his parliament to outlaw suicide bombings and reaffirm a commitment to peace with Israel.

A draft copy of the speech Arafat was to make at a key meeting of the Palestinian parliament today was given to The Associated Press by his office. It said that the world was waiting for a clear signal the Palestinians saw peaceful negotiations as the way to resolve their dispute with Israel.

A Fatah headquarters and fire brigade garage are seen through a shattered window in the Gaza Strip. According to witnesses, Israeli forces entered the town Sunday night, also destroying a metal foundry Israel claims was used to make weapons. Palestinians deny the accusation. Israeli troops moved on other Gaza Strip towns and refugee camps today.

“The Palestinian people are standing against all types of terrorism, whether it is state terror or individual terror,” the text said. “The Palestinian Legislative Council has to protect Palestinian national interests through final recognition of the state of Israel and the right of its people to live in peace and security.”

The speech also argued that Palestinian bomb attacks gave Israel justification for harsh retaliation.

“Suicide attacks against Israeli civilians in buses, restaurants, cafes and universities give the Israeli government the ability to hide its crimes,” the draft said.

Violence continued Sunday ahead of the parliamentary session in the West Bank. Palestinian security officials said two people were killed by Israeli tank fire in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, as Israeli forces advanced along the main Gaza road, encircling three refugee camps.

Residents of the Bourej camp said soldiers ordered families out of a two-story house where a suspected militant lived and blew up the building. The militant has been underground for several months, the residents said.

The Palestinian Security Directorate called the military move “dangerous escalation” and an Israeli attempt to “sabotage all efforts by the Palestinian Authority to implement the understanding” to ease tensions in Gaza by turning areas back to Palestinian control.

The 88-seat Palestinian assembly in its meeting today was to discuss Palestinian elections demanded by Israel and the United States as part of a shakeup of the Palestinian Authority.

“The government program will be submitted in a speech given by President Arafat,” Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat told Israeli TV on Sunday. “Then there will be on the agenda also the Palestinian election law and programs of reform.”

Israeli officials say they are looking for concrete deeds that go beyond statements.

“We expect actions to end the violence,” said Yoram Dori, an adviser to Foreign Minister Shimon Peres.

Israeli authorities barred 12 Palestinian lawmakers from traveling from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank to attend a parliamentary session discussing democratic reforms.

Deputy speaker Ibrahim Abu Najr said that most of the 34 Gaza members of the Palestinian parliament will participate in the session through a video conferencing system from Gaza.

But they will not attend the session in person as an act of solidarity with those denied permission to leave the fenced-off Gaza Strip.