Israel suspends contact with Palestinians after drive-by shootings
The attack near the Gush Etzion block of settlements on Sunday was the deadliest since July. It followed Israeli intelligence warnings that Palestinian militants, who claim they drove Israel out of Gaza by force, would now shift their focus to the West Bank. Israel pulled out of Gaza in September in a unilateral move.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a militant group with ties to the ruling Fatah party, claimed responsibility. However, security officials said they believed the Islamic militant group Hamas might have been involved.
The attacks renew international pressure on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who meets with US President George W Bush later this week, to crack down on militants, something he’s been reluctant to do. Involvement of gunmen with ties to Fatah in Sunday’s attacks would underscore his failure to impose control.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called the shootings “unfortunate” and accused the gunmen of trying to sabotage efforts to revive peace talks. He urged Israel to reconsider the travel restrictions and suspension of contacts, saying “angry messages, collective punishment and violence will just add to the complexities.”
Mr Erekat said Israeli negotiators failed to show up for a meeting Sunday on the reopening of the Rafah terminal on the Gaza-Egypt border.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev initially said all contacts with the Palestinian Authority had been halted, but later said this applied only to committees on specific issues, such as prisoner releases, security and customs at border crossings.
“In Israel, we have no desire to return to a reality of daily attacks against Israeli civilians,” Mr Regev said. “We want to send a very strong and sharp message to the Palestinians and the temporary suspension of talks is that message.”
Israel also responded with tough new measures limiting movement in the West Bank.
The towns of Hebron and Bethlehem, closest to the Gush Etzion attack, were sealed, and private Palestinian-owned cars were barred from the West Bank’s main north-south road.
Security officials said Israel is planning to impose permanent traffic separation in the West Bank, with Israeli motorists using main highways and Palestinians largely forced to drive on back roads.
Arrest raids will be stepped up, security officials said. In the past month, Israel has rounded up some 700 activists in Hamas and Islamic Jihad, disrupting Hamas’ preparations for January 25 parliament elections. Overnight, soldiers arrested 19 wanted Palestinians in the West Bank.
The decisions to restrict movement in the West Bank were made at high-level consultations led by Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz. They reversed a relaxing of restrictions gradually implemented since a February cease-fire.
The limitations, in place for most of the past five years of fighting, crippled the Palestinian economy and caused widespread hardships.
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