Tension mounts in the Middle East as the Israeli Cabinet approves retaliation measures for the latest suicide bombing.
Palestinian police on Thursday arrested 16 members of the Islamic militant group, Hamas, two days after a suicide bombing in the suburb of Tel Aviv.
About 15 Israelis died in the explosion in a third-floor pool hall at Rishon Letzion. At least 50 people were injured in the attack. The bombing had caused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to return early from a trip to Washington to meet President George W Bush.
Early on Thursday the Israeli Security Cabinet approved retaliation for the bombing, but did not say what steps Israel would take.
Just hours after Sharon returned to Israel, a statement was issued saying senior ministers ”authorised the prime minister and defence minister to decide on actions against terror targets”.
Israeli media predicted that the Israeli military would launch a military strike against the Gaza Strip, the power base of Hamas. Gaza was spared during Israel’s last military offensive, which began on March 29 and targeted militias in the West Bank.
Witnesses said about 10 Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles entered the Palestinian section of the West Bank city of Hebron early on Thursday. Israeli military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was a limited operation but gave no other details.
As tensions mounted, the Israeli military said it had instructed Jewish settlers in the Nablus area to go into bomb shelters because of a warning of an imminent terror attack in the area. Israeli attack helicopters were seen flying over the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank.
Sharon, meanwhile, was claiming United States backing for his goal of ousting Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat, who said he would die rather than be exiled.
Hamas officials, who did not wish to be named, said Palestinian police had arrested 16 members of the group but declined to give the names of those taken into custody. There was no immediate comment from Palestinian security officials.
The founder of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, on Wednesday said his group would continue carrying out attacks on Israelis, despite Arafat’s new call for an end to terror attacks. ”Israel’s action will not go unpunished. They have harmed civilians and so their civilians will be harmed,” he said.
Talks on ending the five-week stand-off at the Church of the Nativity hit a new impasse on Thursday over fresh Palestinians demands that European monitors be sent into the shrine, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators said. There had been signals that the siege’s end was imminent.
Earlier in the day, both sides had said a deal was in place to allow dozens of Palestinians to emerge from the church, leaving behind 13 suspected militants whom Israel wants deported.
According to the tentative deal, those emerging from the church would include 26 Palestinians wanted by Israel who would be transported to the Gaza Strip.
Early on Thursday three buses arrived in Manger Square, outside the church, presumably to drive those coming out of the church to their various destinations. However, the buses drove away empty a few hours later.
An Israeli negotiator, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Palestinians caused the delay when they made a last-minute demand that a European envoy enter the church to remain with the 13 until a host country has been found for them. Italy refused hospitality to the militants on the basis that it had not been formally consulted in advance and that acceptance of the 13 raises serious security concerns.
Ali Hosni, the Palestinian police chief in Bethlehem, confirmed that Thursday?s dispute arose over the European monitors, but accused the Israelis of posing last-minute problems. ”The Israeli army said it will not allow the European envoy to enter the church,” Hosni said.
He said there was also a dispute over the collection of the weapons in the church. The police chief said Israel had initially agreed that the 13, who would remain in the church, would be allowed to keep their assault rifles.
The siege began on April 2 when more than 200 Palestinians fled into the church, which marks the place Christians believe was the birthplace of Jesus, ahead of invading Israeli forces.