JERUSALEM- Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Monday ruled out any contacts with Yasser Arafat before Israel's Feb. 6 election and accused the Palestinian leader of an unleashing an ''attack of lies'' against Israel.

An Israeli motorist was shot and killed by gunfire on a West Bank road Monday between Jerusalem and the Palestinian city of Ramallah, witnesses said. The Israeli military said the Israeli, in his 50s, was shot from a passing car. His name was not immediately released.

In the Gaza Strip, Israel soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man who Palestinian security officials said was working on his home.

The violence follows the round of peace talks in Taba, Egypt, which ended Saturday amid an upbeat atmosphere but without any agreement.A day later, Arafat and Barak began trading recriminations.

Arafat, speaking Sunday in Davos, Switzerland, accused Israel of waging ''fascist military aggression'' during the four months of clashes. He also claimed that the Israelis had used depleted uranium in their weapons. In a statement Monday, Israel's army denied using depleted uranium.

''After we heard Arafat's comments in Davos yesterday which were a full-fledged attack on the army ... and an attack of lies on the state of Israel, there's no point continuing discussions these days,'' Barak told army radio.

Barak called off all ''political contacts'' with the Palestinians but said security cooperation would continue, his office said in a statement.

Barak said he was still committed to peace efforts. ''We have to take advantage of the chance to make peace with the Palestinians,'' he said. ''If, God forbid, it becomes clear that it's not possible, then we will fight.''

Arafat and Barak had reportedly been planning to meet in Stockholm, Sweden, this week to follow up on six days of peace talks in Taba, Egypt. The Taba talks were seen as Barak's last real shot at a breakthrough before Feb. 6 elections in which his opponent, hard-liner Ariel Sharon, is heavily favored.

After a meeting in Switzerland with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Arafat said he had not meant to speak against the peace process, and just wanted to emphasize Palestinian suffering.

''We strive to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace,'' Arafat told a press conference at the World Economic Forum. ''We don't want a breakdown of the peace process.''

A total of 377 people have been killed, including more than 330 Arabs and more than 40 Israeli Jews since the fighting began in September.

Barak had hoped the peace negotiations in Egypt would revive his sagging campaign for prime minister. Both Israeli and Palestinian negotiators offered a positive assessment of the talks that concluded Saturday, saying they had never been closer to an overall agreement.


For more information about the quest for peace in the Middle East, go to www.usis.israel.org.il/publish/peace/peace1.htm.
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