Gaza truce in jeopardy

Israelis and Palestinians tonight threatened to scrap a truce that has largely ended five months of Gaza violence, with Palestinian militants insisting it must also apply to the West Bank and Israeli leaders complaining that Gaza rocket squads are still active.

Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz told his Cabinet the ceasefire in Gaza was only being partially observed, and militants there continued firing rockets into Israel. One rocket was fired today, the military said, but none on Friday or Saturday.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told visiting Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik that he was running out of patience.

“The prime minister expressed his concern about the continuation of the violations of the ceasefire and warned that Israel would not be able to show restraint for very much longer in the face of the ongoing rocket fire,” a statement from Olmert’s office said.

Israeli officials have expressed concern that militants are using the truce to rearm with weapons smuggled through tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.

Peretz also said operations would continue in the West Bank, because Palestinian militants there continue to plan attacks on Israel, according to a participant in the meeting.

Israeli troops today shot and killed Jamil al-Zabazhi, 15, who was throwing rocks at soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and hospital officials said. The army said troops fired at Palestinians throwing rocks at soldiers who were dismantling a barricade on a road.

Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Hamza alleged Israel was violating the ceasefire by continuing operations in the West Bank. A statement from the group said Israel would be responsible “for any response in the coming hours” by Islamic Jihad.

“We will respond to any violation. We are waiting for the right time and place,” he said.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Israel’s operations in the West Bank were undermining the truce. “This may change Hamas’ position on the ceasefire,” he said.

In the five months before the truce took effect a week ago, Gaza militants fired daily barrages of rockets at Israeli towns and villages, and Israel hit back with airstrikes at militants and incursions into northern Gaza, causing dozens of casualties and widespread destruction.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he spoke with visiting French presidential candidate Segolene Royal about the week-old truce in Gaza and the need to expand it to cover the West Bank.

Israel’s Security Cabinet also discussed the truce but made no decision about trying to extend it to the West Bank. Instead, there was some sentiment for resuming military strikes against Palestinian rocket squads in Gaza.

”That’s the meaning of self-defence,” said Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter. Participants said Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni favoured continued restraint.

Barhoum said that Hamas was pulling out of talks with Abbas on etablishing a broader truce, saying the Palestinians need to concentrate on the coalition talks instead.

The Hamas move appeared aimed at pressuring Abbas to restart the unity government talks.

Abbas said last week that efforts to form a coalition government, seen as necessary to ending crippling economic sanctions on the Hamas-led government, had reached a dead end.

“The efforts at present have stopped,” Abbas said. “But we must preserve hope.”

Western nations froze aid to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas won January parliamentary elections, calling on the militant group to renounce violence and recognise Israel. Hamas has refused. In an effort to resolve the crisis, Abbas, of the more moderate Fatah Party, and Hamas have been discussing the creation of a government of independent experts.

The impasse over the government has further heightened tensions between Fatah and Hamas, which have repeatedly fought in the streets of Gaza since the elections.

The PLO, which is controlled by Fatah, called on Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas resign his post to clear the way for a unity government, a move Haniyeh rejected.