ISRAELI military planners are preparing for a major assault on
Palestinian cities, towns and refugee camps, even as the United
States continues diplomatic efforts to forge a truce between the
two sides, the Washington Post reported on Monday.
Officials told the daily they intend to give ceasefire
negotiations led by US envoy Anthony Zinni a chance to succeed.
But, on condition of anonymity, they expressed pessimism that
the talks will lead to a durable end to violence and terrorist
attacks against Israelis.
If the talks fail and Palestinian violence continues, there is
widespread and growing support both in Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon’s government and in the army for what one official told the
Post would be a ”comprehensive military confrontation” with the
Palestinians — an engagement that officials said would be broader
and deeper than the offensive undertaken earlier this month.
”The next days might be crucial, because if we don’t succeed (in
the ceasefire talks), we may come to the conclusion that there is
no hope, and we have to choose the other way,” one highly placed
Israeli official told the newspaper.
The Post said the Israeli warnings seem designed both to prepare
domestic and international public opinion for a new round of
bloodshed, and to induce the Palestinians to crack down on militant
groups and accede to Israel’s terms for a truce. – Sapa-AFP