Israel’s response to bombings is muted

ISRAEL yesterday barred a Palestinian delegation from attending a mid-east conference in London and closes three Palestinian universities — a muted response to the deadliest suicide attack in nearly a year.

Bombings on the scale of the twin blasts in Tel Aviv on Sunday 22 killed and more than 100 wounded in the past triggered major Israeli military offensives.

But Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's repertoire of retaliation is increasingly limited, with Israel's general election only three weeks away and the US eager to keep a lid on mid-east violence ahead of a possible strike against Iraq.