[Israeli] Government: We hold PA responsible for terror attacks

The Prime Minister's office and the Foreign Ministry said today that they directly hold the Palestinian leadership responsible for today's suicide attacks.

"This is the result of inaction on the part of the Palestinian Authority," said Sharon advisor Avi Pazner. "They have not dismantled terrorist organizations. We advised the Palestinian Authority that the Palestinian terrorist organizations were preparing attacks against Israel and the PA did nothing."

Pazner said the government is formally calling on Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to dismantle terrorist organizations, arrest their members and round up their arms according to the commitments made at the Aqaba summit two months ago.

A government official said that in response to Israel's concessions and good will gestures, Israel is receiving only terrorism in return.

"If anyone needed proof of the necessity of dismantling the terrorists' infrastructure, this morning's events are it," the official said.

Jonathan Peled, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Israel may soon have to withdraw from the road map if the PA does not immediately begin to take concrete action against terrorist infrastructure.

"Israel will not be able to continue in its concessions until the PA begins to fulfill its obligation to dismantle terrorist infrastructure," Peled said. "In this context, the so-called hudna is no more than a fig leaf, allowing terror organizations to rearm themselves and prepare for further terrorist activity in the future."

Peled recalled a recent statement by Foreign Minister Shalom whereby Shalom called the hudna a "ticking bomb". "Unfortunately we can see today how right he was. The suicide attacks are proof there can be no substitute for fighting and dismantling terror groups," said Peled.

"We can also see the huge necessity in completing the building of the security fence. As long as the PA does not prevent terrorists from entering the West Bank, there is no choice but to construct a fence that will. This morning's events clearly show that where the fence ends - terrorism begins, he said.

Raanan Gissim, speaking for the Prime Minister's office, echoed Peled's concern for the lack of action taken by the PA against the terrorists.

"Today's attacks just illustrate that no cease-fire can substitute for fulfilling the commitments made by the PA for implementing the road map," Gissim told The Jerusalem Post.

"We have had 10-15 terror warnings a day. Our security forces, not theirs, have prevented over 200 terror attacks from taking place during the cease-fire. It is time for Abu Mazan to decide who is control of the Palestinian Authority - those who seek the total destruction of Israel or those who sincerly desire peace, security and prosperity," Gissim said.

In reaction to this morning's attacks, Abu Mazen cut short his Gulf visit to return to the region as soon as possible. "I will be back home later today," the Palestinian Prime Minister said from Qatar. "I condemn the two attacks against Israelis and I also condemn the recurring Israeli provocations." Nevertheless, Abu Mazen promised, the PA will strive to maintain the hudna and keep the peace in the area.

As of yet, no terror organiation has assumed responsibility for the suicide attacks. Spokesmen for both Hamas and Islamic Jihad reaffirmed their commitment to the hudna.

National police chief Shlomo Aronisky said today's events were not the first terror attacks during the Hudna, and he doubts they will be the last.

"We are doing all we can to prevent any possible attacks and give the hudna (cease-fire) a chance to work, but recent events show the motivation and ability of the terror groups are still very high," he said.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is reportedly going to use the terror attacks in his meeting this afternoon with US State Department official John Burns as proof of the urgency of building the security fence.

The attacks violated the June 29 three-month cease-fire declared by the three main Palestinian groups, and no terror group claimed responsibility.

Ismail Hanieh, a spokesman for Hamas, said it was still committed to the cease-fire.

"We cannot pinpoint who stands behind this operation," he said. "This situation was born as a result of Israel's refusal to commit to the Palestinian (truce)."

Islamic Jihad spokesman Mohammed al-Hindi said he didn't know who set off the bombers and said the group remained committed to the cease-fire.

They were the first suicide attacks since a Palestinian from Islamic Jihad group blew himself up inside a house on July 7, killing a 65-year-old woman.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazan), who is in United Arab emirates, was quoted before the bombings as warning of the dangerous situation in the Palestinian territories, but he blamed that on Israeli practices.

In a statement to an Arab news agency, Abbas called on the international community to be aware of the serious consequences that may stem from a collapse of the cease-fire on the future of peace in the region.

He was quoted as asking the international community to send international observers to oversee implementation of the road map, "and to see for themselves who is violating the roadmap and who is committed to it."

On the Hamas pledge to retaliate against the recent assassination of two of its members, he was quoted as saying, "Hamas and other Palestinian organizations have stuck to self-restraint - but until when?"

With the help of a map, Abbas showed Sheikh Khalifa the Palestinian areas which Israel had confiscated to build what he called the 'apartheid wall'.

"This wall is posing a major stumbling block in the way of achieving peace and implementing the roadmap," he stressed.

"Israel is making good will gestures every day and the PA rewards us by complaining that we are not doing enough and allowing the terrorists to rearm themselves and plan more attacks on our shopping malls, restaurants and buses," Gissim said.

I wonder what the US will have to say about these bombings. Will it be something like "these terrorist attacks are enemies of peace and both sides should continue the peace process"?

There are two sides alright. A democratic one and a terrorist one. The former is the one we must support and allow to destroy the latter.

I would support the segregation and expulsion of all arabs from all of Israel. You cannot trust any living one of them as has been demonstrated again. Sent them to the sahara desert, send them to any country that tolerates their terror. It is just time to say no more. No one has a right to undermine any civilization as they have been doing. They seek your extinction, if you are an Israeli, so they now must be made extinct. aj

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