Two Palestinians and an Israeli soldier died yesterday when Palestinians ambushed an Israeli patrol on the Jordanian border. The ambush followed a holiday weekend in which Israel arrested six Islamic militants on the West Bank and a ceasefire ordered by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat appeared to be crumbling. After Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon defied the Christian world by barring Arafat from attending midnight Mass in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, Arafat delivered a “heavy-hearted” speech on Palestinian television, which was relayed live to a subdued crowd in Manger Square, where a large banner read “Sharon assassinates the joy of Christmas.” But barely 12 hours later, the leaders announced negotiations for a ceasefire would continue.