Fresh violence clouds ceasefire prospects

Israel and the Palestinians were today no nearer a ceasefire, as security commanders traded angry accusations amid numerous outbreaks of violence.

Two Israeli settlers and a Palestinian youth died yesterday in violent incidents.

A meeting of security commanders, meant to discuss implementations of the US-brokered ceasefire, negotiated last week by CIA director George Tenet, degenerated into mutual recriminations.

In Gaza, a 16-year-old Palestinian wounded in a clash on Sunday died in a Khan Younis hospital, doctors said.

The Israeli military reported more than a dozen cases of Palestinians opening fire on Israeli civilians and army positions in the West Bank and Gaza.

Last night a witness said a Palestinian on a hilltop fired at several vehicles entering the settlement of Einav, near the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

Bullets hit a car, killing Doron Zisserman, 28.

In response, Israeli forces reimposed a blockade around Tulkarem. The roadblocks had been lifted only a day earlier as part of the ceasefire deal.

At the security meeting, the two sides charged each other with ceasefire violations.

Palestinian security commander Jibril Rajoub said no new ground was broken, but another meeting was set for tomorrow.

Yesterday a Palestinian taxi turned around on a West Bank road near Nablus, caught up with an Israeli vehicle, and gunmen in the taxi opened fire, killing Danny Yehuda, 35.

His funeral procession stopped in front of prime minister Ariel Sharon’s office in Jerusalem - a protest against his policy of refraining from retaliation against the Palestinians.

A section of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Though he was critical of the Palestinians, Sharon fended off calls from his own nationalist camp to hit back militarily for the attacks.

‘‘I am not willing to accept calls ... saying I have to take this nation to war,’’ Sharon said, aiming his remarks at settlers, who have been on the front lines of the fighting and have held signs reading ‘‘War now’’ at demonstrations.

The truce gives the two sides a week to carry out their basic commitments before the cooling-off period goes into effect.

But Sharon said: ‘‘As long as there is no total ceasefire, the counting of the cooling-off period will not begin.’’

In a meeting with US Jewish leaders, Sharon said, ‘‘Pressure must be put on Arafat to bring about a total cessation of violence, terror and incitement and implementation of his commitments,’’ according to a statement from Sharon’s office.

In Amman, Jordan, Arafat accused Israel of breaking all its international commitments and violating the ceasefire deal.

Arafat said Israeli forces continued to demolish houses, attack Palestinian areas and maintain blockades of Gaza and West Bank territories.