Israeli assault spurs Bush into action

Israel’s largest military offensive in a generation, which allegedly included an assault on the birthplace of Christianity, tonight spurred President Bush into action.

Only hours after the European Commission President told Washington to hand over the reins of peacemaking to others, the US president announced ‘‘Enough is Enough’’ and ordered his Secretary of State Colin Powell to Israel.

As he spoke in the White House Rose Garden, Israeli forces were pressing further into the West Bank: Bethlehem remained besieged; scores of Israeli tanks overran the city of Nablus and tonight were reported to have entered Hebron, where they met only scattered resistance.

In his new push for peace, President Bush urged Israel to end its military offensive against Palestinians and called on Arab nations to do more to crack down on terrorists.

‘‘The storms of violence cannot go on,’’ Bush said. ‘‘Enough is enough.’’

Bush has faced mounting criticism with each new suicide bombing against Israelis and military response from Israel. He has been accused of doing too much and, by other critics, not enough.

European Commission President Romano Prodi had demanded the US step aside as primary mediator and make room for a broad alliance of nations - including the EU, the Russians and moderate Arab nations - to help negotiate a comprehensive peace deal for the region.

‘‘It is clear (American) mediation efforts have failed and we need new mediation’’ to avoid an all-out regional war’’, Prodi said.

Bush’s speech today was designed to prod both Israel and Palestinians to take tough steps toward peace.

To Israel, Bush called for a halt to incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas. Senior advisers said Bush believes the assaults could eventually undermine Israel’s security by inciting more violence and even spread the conflict beyond the Israel-Palestinian borders.

Standing by Powell, Bush urged Israel to stop the building of settlements in Palestinian areas and ‘‘show a respect for and concern about the dignity of the Palestinian people.’’ He said closed border crossings should be opened to allow for a freer flow of Palestinians.

‘‘I speak as a committed friend of Israel, out of concern for its long-term security,’’ Bush said.

To the Palestinians, Bush restated his warning that nations that help terrorists will be treated the same as terrorists.

He urged Yasser Arafat and his Arab neighbours to ‘‘join us in delivering a clear and unequivocal message to terrorists: Blowing yourself up does not help the Palestinian cause.

"To the contrary, suicide bombing missions could well blow up the best and only hope for a Palestinian state.’’

He urged Arab countries to help Arafat curb terrorism, disrupt terrorist financing and stop the incitement of violence ‘‘by glorifying terror in state-owned media.’’

‘‘As Israel steps back, Palestinian leaders and Israel’s Arab neighbours have a responsibility to step forward and show the world that they are truly on the side of peace,’’ Bush said.

Aides said he was frustrated and disappointed with Arafat’s inability to stem terrorism, and is hoping the Arab leaders will fill the void.

He said of Arafat: ‘‘The situation in which he finds himself today is largely of his own making. He has missed his opportunities and thereby betrayed the hopes of his people.’’

Powell’s mission, which begins next week, is designed to carry Bush’s message to Arab and Israeli leaders.

Israel’s government, which had hoped for more time to complete the operation, had no immediate reaction. Raanan Gissin, spokesman of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said only, ‘‘We have to study it and then we will have a statement.’’

But Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, an ally of Sharon’s, was cautiously welcoming, saying that ‘‘if

there will be a ceasefire, we’ll be happy to pull out.’’

‘‘If they (Palestinians) come and say that they are stopping the fire and are stopping the attacks, there’s no reason why we should be inside,’’ Shalom said.

Ahmed Qureia, the speaker of the Palestinian Parliament, said Bush’s comments were ‘‘new and important’’ and he praised the US leader for urging an end to the offensive.

‘‘We hope that Secretary Powell will bring with him a mechanism to implement this American vision,’’ he said.

In Bethlehem today, Israeli forces were reported to have moved on Church of Nativity where more than 200 Palestinian gunmen are said to be holed up along with priests and civilians.

Armed Palestinians inside the church - traditional birthplace of Christ - said Israeli troops blew open a small back door of the shrine and fired inside, but the Israeli military denied the claim.

Mazen Hassan, a Palestinian policeman in the church, said he and other armed men were very close to the metal door when it was blown open.

Lieutenant Colonel Olivier Rafowicz, an Israeli military spokesman, said soldiers had not made any move on the church, and had no intention of entering it.

Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer insisted the shrine - one of Christianity’s holiest - was off-limits to Israeli forces.

A group of Franciscan friars and four nuns who have been trapped since Tuesday inside the Church

said they were rapidly running out of food.

‘‘We no longer have anything. And none of us have eaten today,’’ Father Ibrahim Faltas, who heads a community of around 40 friars.

‘‘We are running out of everything,’’ Father Faltas said, adding that they could only resist two or three days more in the present conditions.

Father Faltas confirmed reports that Israeli troops had blown up the rear entrance to the complex, but said no Israeli soldiers had yet entered the building.

Five Palestinians were killed in today’s fighting, including three gunmen and a church caretaker, who witnesses said was shot while walking to the Church of the Nativity from his home.

Israel, meanwhile, blocked a high-level European mediation attempt, saying EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique would not be permitted to meet Yasser Arafat, who has been in what amounts to Israeli custody for a week.

Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield last Friday to crush Palestinian militias that have carried out deadly attacks on Israeli civilians, including seven suicide bombings in the past week.

Since then, Israeli forces have taken over major West Bank towns and have arrested more than 1,100 Palestinians.