WASHINGTON Ñ The Bush administration has denounced Israeli incursions into Palestinian territories and plans to closely monitor movements by troops and settlers.

The administration also told Israel of Washington's support for international observer during a meeting on Thursday between Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Melchior. U.S. officials said Armitage demanded that Israeli troops stay out of Palestinian areas.

"Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas must stop," State Department spokesman Phillip Reeker said. "There have been incursions."

The United States wants to change the format of security meetings between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Middle East Newsline reported. U.S. officials said the revisions would tighten U.S. monitoring of Israeli troop movements as well as on Jewish settlers in the West Bank.

The officials said despite reassurances Israel has sent its military into Palestinian Authority-controlled areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The new U.S. approach is expected to be discussed over the weekend during the Middle East tour by Bush's envoy, David Satterfield. Satterfield arrives in Cairo on Saturday while Israel and the PA have already been informed of U.S. plans to change the framework of the security dialogue.

Israeli officials said the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would consider the deployment of U.S. observers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is not clear whether the administration would accept such a proposal.

The last U.S.-sponsored security meeting between Israel and the PA ended in failure on late Wednesday. Once again, the meeting was marred by loud arguments between Israeli and PA security officials.

On late Thursday, three Palestinians were killed near the West Bank village of Idna. The Palestinian Authority has blamed Jewish settlers for ambushing a Palestinian family on their way home. Four other Palestinians were injured in the shooting attack.

"From the information we have, it was a group of settlers," PA security chief Jibril Rajoub.

Israel and Jewish settlement leaders have condemned the attack.

Overnight Friday, Jewish settlements and Israeli military positions came under attack throughout the West Bank. Two Israelis were injured.

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