RAMALLAH, West Bank ? Yasser Arafat on yesterday called for an end to three years of violence, saying that Israel has a right to live in peace as his legislature prepared to approve the new Palestinian Cabinet.

The legislature was gathered for a vote of confidence on Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia?s new Cabinet, which was expected to gain approval, despite complaints about the government?s makeup and Arafat?s continued grip on power. Qureia also called for an end to violence and a return to peace talks with Israel.

?Our fate is to live together on this land for us and our dreams, for our sons and grandsons? instead of violence and terrorism,? Qureia said. If the vote passes, the Cabinet was to be sworn in immediately afterward, ending a two-month Palestinian political stalemate that has stymied talks on stopping three years of conflict and implementing the U.S.-backed ?road map? peace plan.

Despite concerns about Arafat?s prominent role, especially in security issues, Israel and the United States have indicated they would give the new team a chance to prove itself. Arafat began his speech with a scathing attack on Israel, but he said that nonetheless the violence must end.

?The Israeli government says and spreads lies that we don?t want peace,? he said. ?I want to talk here to the Israeli people to say in public and in Arabic that this is not true.? ?Instead of total destruction of our people and land, the time has come between us and you Israelis, and listen to me Israelis, to get out of this cycle of destructive war,? Arafat said. He added the fighting ?will not give you security nor give us security nor will it give you just and secure peace.?

Qureia tried for a month and failed to form a Cabinet, then served for another month under an Arafat emergency decree that expired last week. He broke the standoff Sunday by giving in to Arafat on the crucial question of Palestinian security and police, effectively leaving the veteran leader in indirect control of most of the myriad forces.

That dismayed both Israel and the United States, who had demanded that Arafat be sidelined and that the security forces be consolidated under the command of an empowered interior minister, to lead a crackdown on violent Palestinian groups ? a requirement of the ?road map.?

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said, however, that he is ready to meet with Qureia and give him the benefit of the doubt. Palestinian Cabinet secretary Hassan Abu Libdeh said U.S. officials told him they would give Qureia some leeway. ?The Americans were not content with the formation of the government, but they said they would judge the government by its performance, by its actions,? Abu Libdeh said.

In his speech, Arafat harshly criticized Israel?s targeted killings of Palestinian militant leaders, Jewish settlements and an Israeli security barrier being built in the West Bank. ?The goal of the Israeli government from behind this war? is not hidden from the world,? Arafat said. ?It is a dangerous goal of preventing our people from their land, their rights and an independent state.?

He said the dozens of Palestinian attacks against Israeli civilians over the past three years were in response to Israeli military aggression against Palestinians. Palestinian officials say they have been in touch with militant groups, trying to persuade them to end attacks on Israel so both sides can resume peace talks, which aim to establish a Palestinian state by 2005. Palestinians need an ?open-ended cease-fire? that must be reciprocated by the Israelis,? Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath said.

The militant group Hamas said yesterday it would consider entering a new truce with the Palestinian Authority to end attacks on Israelis but expressed reservations over its chances of success.

Adnan Asfour, a Hamas spokesman in the West Bank, said in a statement that the group was ?was ready to study any new hudna (cease-fire) offer and would respond after studying it.?

The ?priority will always be resistance as long as occupation persists on Palestinian lands,? Asfour said in the statement, which was published on the Hamas Web site.

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other armed Palestinian groups agreed to a cease-fire on June 29 in an attempt to give former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas? government a chance to succeed. However, the truce unraveled in a new wave of violence six weeks later and Abbas? government collapsed shortly afterward.

Israeli officials say they will welcome Palestinian efforts to end the violence, but they remain firm in their demand that Palestinians dismantle militant organizations, as required by the ?road map.? Qureia has said he will not use force against the militants.

Israel is ?not ruling out a cease-fire? but it must be backed by real action to crack down on the terrorist organizations,? a senior Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. Some Palestinian legislators complained that the new Cabinet retains many of the stalwarts from previous administrations ? including several mentioned in corruption reports ? and leaves Arafat holding most of the reins. ?This is Yasser Arafat?s government,? said lawmaker Hassan Khreishe. However, even opponents said they expected the parliament to approve the new Cabinet.

Mohammed DARAGHMEH