Mideast leaders bicker as wave of violence continues

JERUSALEM - A fragile Mideast ceasefire aimed at boosting the chances of an anti-terrorism coalition hung in the balance yesterday as Israel and the Palestinians argued over its implementation.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened a meeting of his inner security cabinet yesterday to discuss whether to give Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat more time to implement a ceasefire that has been battered by a wave of violence.

Two Palestinians were killed while the cabinet decided to go ahead with the ceasefire and lift a crippling blockade in areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In the latest bloodshed, Israeli troops shot dead the two and wounded 14 others near the West Bank village of Attara when they were on their way to work in Israel.

At least 16 Palestinians have been killed and more than 120 wounded in a wave of stone-throwing clashes and gun battles that erupted after Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres reaffirmed a truce in talks last Thursday.

The violence prompted Palestinian officials to accuse Israel of carrying out a "military escalation", and Sharon's spokesman, Raanan Gissin, to accuse the Palestinian Authority of taking "no real action" to enforce the ceasefire.

The Israeli Army says Palestinians have carried out more than 100 gunfire, grenade and mortar attacks since early Thursday.

Gissin said the truce was in danger because Palestinian counterparts had refused to implement their side of the bargain and arrest 10 Palestinian militants, starting yesterday.

For its part, Israel was supposed to take steps to ease its blockade of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, he said.

But Palestinian officials denied they were asked, or agreed, to arrest militants and said Israel had promised to start to ease a siege which has crippled the Palestinian economy and caused widespread hardship.

"The Israeli Government should have started to implement what we had agreed upon with Mr Shimon Peres ... to remove their forces from our land to their original positions and to ease the siege," Arafat aide Nabil Abu Rdainah said.

Gissin said Peres had given Arafat a list of 100 militants, including 10 whom Israel considers to be "ticking bombs" and wants arrested.

An Israeli security official, who declined to be named, said Palestinian security officials told Israeli counterparts in a meeting on Friday that they would not arrest militants, a stance the source said could stymie Israel's steps to ease the closure.

Israel, hit by a bombing campaign by Palestinian militants, blockaded the Gaza Strip and West Bank after the revolt began last year, saying it was a necessary security measure.

Palestinians call the Israeli closure collective punishment.

Sharon would discuss with his inner cabinet whether to give Arafat a second chance to ensure the ceasefire takes root, an official said. Israel Radio reported that military advisers at the cabinet meeting favoured giving Arafat more time.

- REUTERS

Feature: Middle East

Map

UN: Information on the Question of Palestine

Israel's Permanent Mission to the UN

Palestine's Permanent Observer Mission to the UN

Middle East Daily

Arabic News

Arabic Media Internet Network

Jerusalem Post

Israel Wire

US Department of State - Middle East Peace Process