Israel cracks down, puts on hold talks with Palestinians
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) Israel has temporarily put on hold contacts with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and re-imposed a series of restrictions on Palestinians travelling in the West Bankincluding check-points around urban areas, banning cars with Palestinian licence plates on major highways and isolating the cities of Hebron and Bethlehem after three Israeli civilians were killed and another four wounded near the Gush Etzion settlement, in the Bethlehem area.
Palestinian officials reacted to Israel's crackdown calling it counterproductive and a form of "collective punishment" that will make life harder for the Palestinians.
"This will only add fuel to the fire. We call on the Israelis to immediately stop these moves and to allow the PA to do its job," Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei said.
Current Israeli-Palestinian talks were designed to work out a deal on border security and transferring security responsibilities in West Bank cities to Palestinian forces.
For Israel the steps taken are meant to send a signal to the Palestinians that yesterday's attack could not be simply wished away.
Citing a source close to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Jerusalem Post said that talks were only temporarily suspended. In fact, there are still contacts between the two sides in Washington.
Israel radio quoted a Palestinian source claiming the murder of three Israelis was meant to sabotage the upcoming meeting in the US capital between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his US counterpart, George W. Bush.
King Abdallah of Jordan told President Abbas, whose first stop abroad will be Amman, that his government is ready to help the PNA take control of the West Bank and all the territories from which Israel will pull out, including training police forces.
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