Sharon cuts off contact with new Palestinian leader

Israel’s prime minister Ariel Sharon has cut all contact with newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a startling U-turn, saying he must halt terror attacks if he wanted peace talks.

The timing of last night’s decision – on the eve of Abbas’ inauguration – was a major snub.

Sharon’s action came after Palestinian militants killed six Israelis in a bombing and shooting attack at a Gaza Strip crossing and dampened hopes the two sides would quickly return to the negotiating table after four years of conflict.

The Israeli leadership had initially said it would not retaliate for Thursday’s attack and would give Abbas time to rein in the militants.

But later, Sharon’s spokesman announced the Israeli leader was severing contact with Abbas until he acted against the militants.

“Israel informed international leaders today that there will be no meetings with Abbas until he makes a real effort to stop the terror,” Sharon spokesman Assaf Shariv said.

Hopes had been high following Abbas’ election last Sunday to replace Yasser Arafat that the two sides would be able to return to the negotiating table. Israel and the United States had refused to deal with Arafat, accusing him of fomenting terror, but Abbas is viewed as a moderate and pragmatic leader.

Shariv said Israel decided to cut ties because Thursday night’s attack at the Karni crossing, Gaza’s main lifeline, was launched from a Palestinian Authority base.

Three Palestinian gunmen were killed in the attack, and three armed groups claimed responsibility, including Hamas and the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which has ties to Abbas’ ruling Fatah movement.

Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat urged Israel to rethink its decision to cut ties. “We call on the Israelis to resume a meaningful peace process and dialogue because this is the only way to break the vicious cycle of violence,” Erekat said.

The Gaza attack marked the militants’ first major challenge to Abbas. Abbas said both the Karni attack and Israeli military operations in recent days “do not benefit the peace process”.

In a meeting with Arab-Israeli politicians yesterday, Abbas said he would not use force against the militants as Israel demanded, but would try to negotiate a truce.

Abbas repeated this in a letter to Arab foreign ministers, laying out his plans for rehabilitating the Palestinian Authority.

“We have stressed that our commitment to the ceasefire will be based on a national Palestinian agreement,” said Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath, who sent the letters signed by Abbas and Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qureia.

During the meeting with Arab politicians, Abbas said he was upset with Israel for holding him responsible for attacks before he was even sworn in as Palestinian leader, Taleb Al Sana, one of the legislators at the meeting, told Israel Army Radio.

Israel and the United States have said they would judge the new Palestinian leader by his actions and give him time to prove himself.

But an Israeli Cabinet minister warned earlier that time was running out for Abbas, the first sign that Israel had already lost patience.

“Israel will not accept a reality of continuous terror against innocent civilians. Abu Mazen does not have 100 days of grace,” said housing minister Yitzhak Herzog at a funeral for victims of the Karni attack.