NABLUS, West Bank, 15 October — Israeli troops yesterday assassinated a senior Hamas activist, prompting a warning from the Palestinian Authority that Israel’s action was tantamount to a violation of a fragile cease-fire and could provoke further confrontations.
The shooting of Abdul Rahman Hamad, 35, in Kalkilya on the West Bank near the administrative boundary with the Jewish state, is the first time Israel has reverted to its much-criticized policy of assassinating Palestinian suspects since a truce deal three weeks ago.
Israel accused Hamad of organizing the June 1 attack on a Tel Aviv night club which killed 22 young revelers, as well as the Hamas activist who blew himself up.
Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told Voice of Palestine radio: "This is a crime and means the Israeli promises of calm are mere lies and we cannot trust them."
He separately told reporters in Ramallah that the assassination of Hamad was highly provocative.
Abed Rabbo accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of trying to "undermine the cease-fire ... and any attempt that would lead to a political settlement," with his return to the policy of assassination.
Rabbo said the Palestinian-Israeli political and security meetings held so far "have been limited in scope."
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, who was leading the political talks with the Palestinians, did not have any powers, he added, accusing Peres of "acting to cover up" Sharon’s policies.
He also said the Palestinian Authority looks positively at recent US and British statements on the Palestinian state, but considers them "insufficient".
Sharon, meanwhile, was expected to relax the choking security restrictions in areas of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, where relative calm has been restored, although officials warned the deal would be off if any shooting broke out.
One of the key areas was set to be a district of self-rule Hebron, the flash point West Bank town where 400 hard-core Jewish settlers live under heavy army guard at the heart of a population of 120,000 Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Arafat is expected to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair today and hopes the meeting will boost his standing as he struggles to fulfill his truce obligations.
