Violence rattles Mideast truce

It's been " one of the deadliest days since February's truce," the Washington Post points out.

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"The situation is deteriorating. The whole cease-fire may collapse," said chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

Morwah Kamil, head of the Islamic Jihad military wing in the West Bank city of Jenin, was killed in a gunfight during an arrest raid in the nearby town of Qabatiya, reports The Associated Press. The Israeli army has confirmed Kamil was the object of the raid, reports AP.

Hours after Kamil was killed, Hamas militants attacked a Jewish settlement in Gaza Tuesday killing a Palestinian and an Asian worker, the Israeli army said. Hamas said the attack was in retaliation for the killing of Kamil, and for a scuffle at a Jerusalem holy site on Monday.

Monday's violent confrontation between Muslim worshippers and Israeli police at the Al Aqsa mosque has been widely blamed as the catalyst for the new attacks.

The clashes began shortly after "several hundred Arabs pelted police and Jewish visitors with stones," reports The Jerusalem Post.

The Jerusalem Day clashes took police by surprise, since they were preparing for Jewish – not Arab – protests at the entrance to the site.

Mr. Abbas suggested Israel is responsible for the clashes, which prompted the subsequent unrest.

"Abbas said the Jews - who visited the site to mark Jerusalem Day - should not have been allowed into the mosque compound," reports the Israeli daily Ha'aretz. "The Israeli government and the international community must stop these unjustified and dangerous violations," he said.

Jordan's religious affairs minister Abdul-Salam al-Abadi said the police actions and the appearance at the mosque by Jewish visitors "represent a flagrant and an unacceptable defiance which are part of repeated attempts by Zionist settlers to assault and harm the blessed al Aqsa Mosque."

The military wing of Hamas was less circumspect in its response, saying: "Any harm that befalls Al-Aqsa Mosque will mean an open, fierce war in all of our land of Palestine, and by all means."

But the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reports that "[Israeli Defense Force] sources said the attack appears to be related to internal political developments within the Palestinian Authority, primarily Abbas' postponement of parliamentary elections and his visit to Gaza, which is set for Wednesday."

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said: "Hamas is trying very hard to undermine our efforts to move toward peace with the Palestinian Authority."

Meanwhile, Israel accused Britain of holding "low-level" talks with Hamas that undermine the peace process, reports The Times of London.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, admitted that diplomats had met newly-elected leaders from the organization at least twice since its political wing seized a number of key seats in the West Bank and Gaza last month.

Although Mr. Straw stressed that Britain would have no direct dealings with Hamas until it had formally renounced the use of violence, Israel has criticized the Government for engaging in such discussions.

Mr. Straw – who arrives in the Middle East Tuesday for a two-day visit – is apparently taking care to heed Israel's concerns in this regard. Ha'aretz reports that Straw said his diplomats would have no contact with the Hamas leaders until the group gives up violence.

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