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Palestinians firing into the air (AP)
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| By Associated Press December 4, 2006 |
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A weeklong truce that has stopped most Gaza violence wobbled when both sides complained about violations and disagreed over extending the cease-fire to the West Bank.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz told his Cabinet on Sunday the cease-fire in Gaza was only being partially observed, and militants there continued firing rockets into Israel. One rocket was fired Sunday, the military said, but none on Friday or Saturday.
Islamic Jihad militants charged that Israel was violating the truce and threatened reprisals.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told visiting Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik on Sunday that he was running out of patience.
"The prime minister expressed his concern about the continuation of the violations of the cease-fire and warned that Israel would not be able to show restraint for very much longer in the face of the ongoing rocket fire," a statement from Olmert's office said.
Israeli officials have expressed concern that militants are using the truce to rearm with weapons smuggled through tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border.
Peretz also said operations would continue in the West Bank, because Palestinian militants there continue to plan attacks on Israel, according to a participant in the meeting.
Israeli troops on Sunday shot and killed Jamil al-Zabazhi, 15, who was throwing rocks at soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and hospital officials said. The army said troops fired at Palestinians throwing rocks at soldiers who were dismantling a barricade on a road.
Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Hamza charged that Israel was violating the cease-fire by continuing operations in the West Bank. A statement from the group said Israel would be responsible "for any response in the coming hours" by Islamic Jihad.
"We will respond to any violation. We are waiting for the right time and place," he said.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Israel's operations in the West Bank were undermining the truce. "This may change Hamas' position on the cease-fire," he said.
In the five months before the truce took effect a week ago, Gaza militants fired daily barrages of rockets at Israeli towns and villages, and Israel hit back with airstrikes at militants and incursions into northern Gaza, causing dozens of casualties and widespread destruction.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he spoke in Gaza with visiting French presidential candidate Segolene Royal about the week-old truce in Gaza and the need to expand it to cover the West Bank. Later, Royal met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem.
Israel's Security Cabinet discussed the truce Sunday, and made no decision about trying to extend it to the West Bank. Instead, there was some sentiment for resuming military strikes against Palestinian rocket squads in Gaza. "That's the meaning of self-defense," said Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter. Participants said Olmert and Livni favored continued restraint.
In another development Sunday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Damascus for talks with Syrian officials on faltering efforts toward forming a Palestinian national unity government.
Haniyeh is on his first tour abroad since his Hamas-led government took office in March, when Western nations cut off aid to the Palestinian government because Hamas is listed as a terror group.
In brief comments to reporters upon arrival, Haniyeh said his discussions would include "the siege imposed on the Palestinian people."
Asked to comment on the demand by PLO leaders that his government resign over the failure to form a moderate coalition acceptable to the West, Haniyeh said: "It is too early to talk about it."
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