Jerusalem ? The Palestinian prime minister, who is under growing international pressure to rein in militants, summoned leaders of the Islamic group Hamas to his office Thursday and asked them to halt attacks.

However, Hamas said that at best, it was willing to consider a partial truce, and only on condition that Israel stop hunting militants. Israel has rejected such a proposal in the past and said again Thursday it was unacceptable.

The disagreement between Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon over how to deal with the militias is a major obstacle to getting started on the U.S.-backed “road map” to Mideast peace. Abbas wants to persuade militants to lay down their arms, while Sharon insists they be disarmed and arrested.

There were signs Thursday that Abbas and Sharon would meet separately in coming days with President Bush to discuss the peace plan, which calls for an immediate end to violence and setting up a Palestinian state by 2005.

Bush is traveling next week to Europe and possibly stopping in the Middle East. A Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Abbas was considering a proposal to meet with Bush in Qatar. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Sharon might meet with Bush at the end of next week in Europe.

A Palestinian boy leans on a wall dividing the east Jerusalem side of Abu Dis from the West Bank. Abu Dis, a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem, was divided last year by Israeli authorities.

The Palestinians have accepted the road map, while Israel has expressed major reservations. Sharon has said he would not give a response until he has discussed his objections with Bush.

In the first phase of the peace plan, Palestinian security forces would rein in militias that have carried out scores of shootings and bombings in the past 32 months of fighting. Israel would withdraw from Palestinian towns and stop expanding Jewish settlements.

Abbas is trying to avoid using force against the militias, in part because he may not have enough of a power base to risk a full-fledged confrontation.