Israel blames 'outside forces'

Jerusalem Post ^ | 1/19/5 | HERB KEINON

[SmithL]

Israel accused Hizbullah, Iran and Syria of being behind the recent wave of terror, with senior diplomatic officials Tuesday night threatening action "both here and elsewhere" against those responsible.

One senior official said Tuesday evening's suicide attack in Gush Katif is "another incident in a series of deliberate efforts, instigated by Iran and Hizbullah, and supported by Syria, to scuttle any reconciliation process with Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas]."

He said this is part of a "deliberate strategy" to force Israel to act in a way that will make reconciliation with the new PA government impossible.

The officials said the attacks are being funded from abroad, and that Israel knows Hizbullah has infiltrated the PA security organizations.

Using language that often presages targeted killings, the official said, "There will be sustained and continued action against those who perpetrate these steps."

"Israel will take the necessary steps, there will be no limitations, there will be no immunity or refuge, not here or elsewhere," he added. "There will be intensified action along the whole front."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is scheduled to convene the security cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the recent spate of attacks and how to respond.

The official said it is unreasonable to expect Israel to sit back and give Abbas a "period of grace" when its citizens are being attacked daily. "We have a crisis," he said. "Abu Mazen has 30,000 men in Gaza and he does nothing. He can't continue to do nothing."

Even before Tuesday's attack, Sharon met with soldiers at an army base near Erez and made clear he has no intention of giving Abbas a grace period.

"One thing is completely clear to me, this situation cannot continue," Sharon said, sounding a lot like the Sderot protesters nearby who marched toward Beit Hanun. "A situation in which civilian communities are being fired upon cannot continue, and this has to be dealt with as soon as possible...

"You have all the means at your disposable, and what interests me is to know how you will prevent firing on Sderot and the communities in the Western Negev and Gaza Strip."

Sharon related to both domestic and international calls that he give Abbas a chance and not expect sudden miracles, saying: "Abu Mazen doesn't need an adjustment period. It's not that he doesn't know what's happening on the ground; he knows the commanders and all the people."

Nevertheless, Sharon is likely on Wednesday to hear from Jean Asselborn, the foreign minister of Luxembourg, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, that Israel should give Abbas more time and should immediately meet with him.

"I ask Israel to give him a chance," Asselborn told reporters Tuesday after a meeting of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

"Mr. Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas should meet urgently to discuss the road map," he said.

Asselborn is to arrive on a two-day visit to Israel and the PA on Wednesday.

Sharon has said that when he does meet Abbas, they will discuss security issues, not the road map.

Despite Asselborn's comments, senior diplomatic officials said there is no real international pressure at this point either to reverse Friday's decision, following the terrorist attack at the Karni crossing, to cut off contact with Abbas until he takes action, or to refrain from responding to the ongoing terrorism.

"The Japanese foreign minister also said we should talk with Abbas immediately," a senior official said, referring to the recent visit of Nobutake Machimura. "But this isn't pressure. Our response is that there is no use having meetings while terrorists are blowing us up. It is not as if we canceled a meeting with Abbas, but rather are saying to the Palestinians, 'First get your act together, then we'll meet.'"

Asselborn is scheduled to meet with Sharon, Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Wednesday.

One official said Asselborn will be asked about a quote, attributed to him, that "with Arafat gone, the problem of the peace process dead end disappears. The 'Arafat excuse' no longer exists. This matter has been resolved with the democratic election of Mahmoud Abbas."

He said Israel will raise the inconsistency in the argument that Arafat was somehow an Israeli "excuse" for not moving on the diplomatic process, since all of Europe is speaking of the new "window of opportunity" that now exists, and that this window only exists because Arafat is no longer dominating the scene.

[Lijahsbubbe]

One thing is completely clear to me, this situation cannot continue

These talking points by Sharon and the officials sound more resolute this time around. I wonder what's up.

[West Coast Conservative]

Maybe a strike against Iran or Syria?

[nw_arizona_granny]

ping

[sarah_f]

Whatever Israel does it will be too little too late, always a reaction.

I forsee an IDF jeep driving up to the border and two soldiers shaking their fists at the "palestinians" followed by a threat to come back and honk the horn real loud if more Jews are killed.