Israel freezes withdrawals

2003-08-19 21:54

Gaza City - Israel froze all moves to transfer security responsibility for two West Bank towns to the Palestinians late on Tuesday following a suicide bombing in Jerusalem which killed at least 20 people, a Palestinian official told AFP.

"Israel has cancelled the talks and frozen all moves to withdraw from Qalqilya and Jericho," Elias Zananieri, spokesperson for Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan, said.

The move came shortly after a suicide bomber detonated his charge on a packed bus in Jerusalem, killing at least 20 people and injuring about 80, medical sources said.

The two sides had been slated to meet late on Tuesday to iron out lingering disagreements over the pullbacks from both towns, which was due to take place later this week.

Hamas

The Hamas movement said the blast was a response to "the occupation crimes" of Israel in the Palestinian territories, but did not take responsibility for Tuesday's blast.

"All Palestinian factions, Islamic and national, have said clearly they will answer any crimes or any terrorist activity that have been committed," Hamas political leader Abdelaziz Rantissi said.

"So this operation comes as a reply to the occupation crimes which have not stopped against the Palestinian people."

Rantissi said the attack did not constitute an end to a ceasefire called for by major Palestinian factions such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad on June 29.

"All groups announce that they will avenge the occupation crimes but we are still committed to the ceasefire," he added.

- AFP