Ex-security chiefs rebuke Israel over crisis

IN unusually bold criticism, four former Israeli security chiefs yesterday warned that the country is headed for disaster unless Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reverses course and moves quickly to settle the conflict with the Palestinians.

The declaration by former directors of the vaunted Shin Bet agency come as Mr Sharon weighs up whether to accept a Palestinian truce offer that would not be accompanied by a Palestinian crackdown on militant groups. In the past, Sharon has rejected such a plan.

Israel’s security services are reportedly divided, with the military in favour and the current Shin Bet chief opposed. The military believes a ceasefire is a step in the right direction and is ready to minimise operations, including halting targeted killings of Palestinian militants, the Maariv daily reported Friday. The Shin Bet fears armed groups will use the lull to reorganise more attacks.

Mr Sharon hasn’t made a final decision, Maariv said, but the outcome could well determine the direction of the conflict. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia wants to persuade the militants to halt attacks and then get Israel to agree to a truce. Mr Qureia, and other leaders before him, have said they cannot order a crackdown for fear of setting off internal fighting.

Palestinian officials said yesterday that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who has played a key role in mediating previous efforts at a truce, will travel to the area to meet with Mr Qureia and Yasser Arafat on Monday.

Yesterday the spiritual leader of the Islamic militant group Hamas ruled out any prospects for an immediate end to attacks on Israelis.

“We have no objection to any dialogue with the (Palestinian) prime minister,” Sheikh Ahmed Yassin told a rally in the Gaza Strip.

“We are willing to listen to any proposal. We will give him answers, but not out of the blue. But in the current situation we can’t talk about any ceasefire.”