U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says it is time for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to "choose, once and for all" between violence and peacemaking with Israel.

Mr. Powell made the assessment Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also urged Israel to ease its blockade of the Palestinian territories.

Mr. Powell met Monday with the Palestinian legislative speaker Ahmed Qureia amid fresh diplomatic initiatives to reduce violence.

The head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, who spoke at the National Press Club here in Washington, urged the Bush administration not too isolate Mr. Arafat in the peace process. Mr. Moussa called on the United States to resume its role, as what he called "an honest broker."

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is due in Washington Thursday for his fourth meeting with President Bush since the two took office last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Mr. Sharon Tuesday and urged the Israeli leader to renew contact with Mr. Arafat. Israel has confined Mr. Arafat to the West Bank town of Ramallah for two months for failing to rein in extremist Palestinian militants.

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