WASHINGTON Ñ The Bush administration has urged Israel to lower its profile amid U.S. efforts to organize a military coalition against Iraq.

U.S. officials said the administration has called on Israeli leaders to reduce air attacks on Palestinian targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They have also ruled out any drive by Washington to oust Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"We are facing an uphill battle with Iraq and we can't be sidetracked," one U.S. official said. "Our campaign on Iraq would improve Israel's strategic position more than any air strike on Palestinian buildings."

Officials said President George Bush and his senior aides relayed the message during the visit by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last week to Washington. White House officials urged Sharon to lower Israel's profile over the next few months and refrain from making public statements against Iran or Iraq.

On Monday, the State Department changed its tone and criticized Israeli air attacks against Palestinian Authority positions. Department spokesman Richard Boucher termed as positive a letter sent by Arafat to Secretary of State Colin Powell over the weekend in which the Palestinian leader responded to U.S. accusations that he ordered a shipload of weapons from Iran.

"Though we understand the need for Israel to take steps to ensure its self-defense, we're seriously concerned about Israeli attacks over the past several days on Palestinian Authority facilities, particularly in areas that are heavily populated by civilians," Boucher said. "Attacks such as these are counterproductive to efforts to reduce the violence and restore calm, and we think that both sides need to remain focused on the need for substantive, ongoing security cooperation."

On Tuesday, Israeli troops raided the area around the West Bank city of Hebron. A Palestinian officer was killed and three buildings were destroyed in what military sources said was a search for Palestinian rockets and insurgents.

The appeal to Israel comes as the administration has met opposition for a U.S. attack on Baghdad from a range of allies. These include Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Turkey, with a base at Incerlik, is regarded as a key country in any attack on the regime of President Saddam Hussein.

On Monday, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit played down the prospect of a U.S. military strike on Iraq. Ecevit said the United States would be unable to launch such a campaign without Turkish support.

The result has been increased U.S. preparations in Iraq's southern neighbor, Kuwait. U.S. officials have been meeting Kuwaiti leaders to discuss increased military cooperation with the sheikdom.

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