Abbas vows crackdown to protect ceasefire

IN A meeting with Palestinian militant groups in Gaza last night, Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas was expected to raise the threat of using force against rogue militants who fail to respect a ceasefire and end violence against Israelis.

Within days of the historic Sharm el-Sheikh summit, where both Israelis and Palestinians announced a truce to end hostilities, violence erupted once more in Gaza on Thursday when Hamas and the Palestinian Resistance Committees fired more than 40 mortar shells at Israeli settlements at Gush Katif. There were no deaths or injuries.

An official Hamas announcement said the bombardment was retaliation for the killing of two Palestinians by the Israeli Defence Forces in the previous 24 hours.

Last night’s meeting followed the Palestinian leader’s sacking of three security chiefs and their deputies for failing to prevent the rocket attacks. Abbas, reportedly furious at the outbreak of violence, immediately called for a meeting with militants, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Palestinian sources said that Abbas, who is a fervent believer in dialogue as a way of coaxing militant groups to respect the truce, would remind Hamas and others that PA security forces do have the authority to prevent breaches of the truce.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "We sincerely hope all Palestinian factions will adhere to the rule of law. They must honour the ceasefire and realise there is only one authority and one leadership."

Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the organisation would listen to what Abbas had to say, and then "determine our final position, which will be based on the national interest of our people".

Israel yesterday also made it clear that time is running out for the Palestinian leader to stop attacks against Israelis. Ra’anan Gissin, an adviser to Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, said: "We’re not giving Abbas a timetable but the clock’s ticking.

"If he doesn’t take action now and the attacks continue, we reserve the right to take action on behalf of our citizens and on the grounds of self-defence. But let’s not forget that these attacks are also a direct challenge to Abbas and the PA."

It is believed, despite Gissin’s tough words, that Israel will give Abbas up to a week to rein in the militants before embarking on military action.

Last night Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz was to meet Erekat along with Palestinian cabinet secretary Hassan Abu Libdeh and senior PA security official Mohammed Dahlan.

Dahlan will present Mofaz with the steps the PA has taken to prevent terror attacks, Israeli radio reported yesterday.

One Palestinian official said: "The Israelis believe the Palestinians are a monolithic people. What they forget is that the PA only has control of 17% of the West Bank - and that’s it.

"The level of expectations, on both sides, doesn’t match the reality on the ground, and there is a real fear that Abu Mazen [Abbas] will fall, and fall hard."