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| By Associated Press December 5, 2006 |
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Although the cease-fire agreement does not cover Judea and Samaria (West Bank), militants in Gaza have repeatedly threatened to break the truce and launch a wave of reprisal attacks because of Israeli military operations there.
"I wouldn't rule out ending the cease-fire in a few short days if the enemy continues like this," Hamas spokesman Abu Obeideh said.
After nightfall Monday, Israeli troops opened fire at two men in the Judea and Samaria town of Tulkarem as they were trying to flee, killing one, the military said. The other, who was the target of the arrest raid, was wounded and captured.
Palestinian security officials said the soldiers opened fire at a restaurant, killing a civilian and wounding two others -- the militant and a teenager.
Israel and the Palestinians agreed to the truce just over a week ago, ending five months of widespread fighting in Gaza and leading to hopes that it was only the first step in a new round of peace efforts between the two sides.
Since the truce took effect, Gaza militants have launched 16 homemade Qassam rockets into Israel, the army said, causing no casualties and little damage -- 11 in the first hours of the truce. One was fired Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that the government would react with restraint to the continuing attacks, adding that the rocket fire didn't cease during Israel's military operations in Gaza, either.
"It was clear that there would not be an absolute halt to hostilities, but we must remember that until now we haven't found an alternative formula to stop the rocket fire and weapons smuggling," he said, referring to the militants' efforts to bring in weapons from Egypt.
"We will fully explore every possibility that can lead to momentum to begin a diplomatic process, and so we are now giving the truce a chance," he said, according to participants in the meeting.
In an effort to bolster the cease-fire, senior military officials said Monday they had decided to reduce their Judea and Samaria operations, allowing only regional or division commanders to order arrest raids, instead of the lower-ranking brigade commanders. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The army was ordered to take precautions so that "uncalled for incidents don't develop in Judea and Samaria," said senior Labor Party legislator Danny Yatom, a member of the parliamentary committee, referring to the West Bank by its biblical names.
"But there is absolutely no Israeli commitment not to take military action against terror threats" there, he added.
Early Monday morning, after the army decision, troops arrested 15 militants in raids across the Judea and Samaria, the army said. Later Monday, another militant, wanted since 2001, was arrested in Bethlehem, the army said.
Palestinian officials called for an end to the raids.
"We urge (Israel) to stop arrests, incursions, and to give the cease-fire the chance it deserves," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Israeli officials expressed concern that militants in Gaza were using the truce to rearm with weapons smuggled through tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border. And several analysts predicted that Israel might have to launch an all-out offensive in Gaza to try to crush the militants.
"We must not delude ourselves. We have to examine whether the quiet is just on the surface, at a time when certain elements are rearming. If so, we simply must not accept it," said lawmaker Israel Hasson of the hard-line Yisrael Beitenu, a member of Olmert's ruling coalition.
Meanwhile, members of the Hamas-led Palestinian government said that Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh had managed to collect tens of millions of dollars during his current trip abroad, which could help the government weather crippling international sanctions against it. Western nations have refused to give the government money unless Hamas renounces violence and recognizes Israel, which it refuses to do.
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar, of Hamas, said Haniyeh received a pledge from Qatar to pay the salaries of teachers in Gaza, which comes to about US$29.5 million.
It was unclear how the money would be brought to Gaza. In recent weeks, some Palestinian officials have hand-carried large amounts of cash in their luggage when they cross into Gaza from Egypt.
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