Israel threatens to kill more militant chiefs

Israel will kill more militant chiefs in raids like the one that decapitated a Hamas leader yesterday if the Palestinians do not begin arresting and disarming the extremists, Israeli officials warned today.

Palestinian leaders said the assassination of Ismail Abu Shanab had ruined what was to be an imminent campaign against the militants by Palestinian security forces that would have included arrests and weapons round-ups.

The militants called off their two-month-old ceasefire and promised more suicide bombings and other attacks on Israeli targets, further threatening President Bush’s road map to peace in the Middle East.

Fresh Hamas attacks were launched soon afterwards: crude mortars were fired into Israel and at Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, damaging homes but causing no injuries.

Several high ranking Israeli military officials said there were plans to kill other top Hamas leaders if there are new Palestinian suicide attacks and no efforts by Palestinian police forces to arrest extremists.

A Palestinian suicide bombing killed 20 people on a Jerusalem bus on Tuesday, including six children, prompting Israel’s strike on Abu Shanab.

In a loud, angry funeral in the Gaza Strip, men carried the bodies of Abu Shanab and his two bodyguards. The streets echoed with shouts for revenge.

Some in the crowd of several thousand chanted a warning for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz: “Sharon and Mofaz listen very well, our retaliation will send you to hell.”

An Israeli security source said all Hamas leaders were now considered fair targets and new strikes would be launched after a 24 hour lull to give Palestinians a chance to act on their own against militants. “We were waiting to see even just one Hamas arrest,” he said.

Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said Israel’s strikes on militants were in self-defence and were necessary to move along the road to peace.

“The strategy is legitimate self-defence,” he said. “We go only after those who hit us.”

Under Washington’s road map peace plan , the Palestinians are required to dismantle Islamic and other militant groups.

Palestinian MP Ziad Abu Zayyad said the renewed violence threatened to topple the already weak prime minister Mahmoud Abbas, who was appointed in April under pressure from the US and Israel searching for an alternative to Yasser Arafat.

Abbas, largely failing to win his own people’s support because talks with Israel did not produce the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, appeared to be losing confidence among Israelis as well.

A poll published today found that only 35% of Israelis thought peace talks with Abbas should continue following Tuesday’s bombing.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank overnight, Israeli tanks rolled into Jenin, Tulkarem and Nablus for a second night of raids searching for wanted Palestinians.

Troops used explosives to demolish three houses that belonged to the families of militants who carried out attacks.