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Israel Warns of Tough Response to Palestinian Attacks
Israeli Chief of National Security Council Uzi Dayan on Sunday warned of serious response from Israel if the Palestinians continue their attacks.
Dayan said the first priority for the moment is to stop the Palestinians attacks following Saturday night's escalation of violence against Israeli security forces and Jewish settlers in the Palestinian self-rule West Bank and Gaza.
The newly appointed security advisor warned that if the attacks continue, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would attack the Palestinian commanders responsible for ordering the "warfare against Israel."
Regarding the three IDF soldiers captured by the Lebanese Shiite guerrilla group Hezbollah Saturday on the Lebanese border, Dayan said the international community has already been enlisted to assist in obtaining their immediate release.
He refused to disclose further details of the international mediation.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to halt the violence on the Palestinian side by Monday evening.
The bloody clashes between Israeli army and police and the Palestinians were triggered by right-wing Israeli opposition Likud leader Ariel Sharon's controversial visit to a Jerusalem shrine, holy to both Muslims and Jews, on September 28. Palestinians saw the visit as a provocation.
The clashes between stone- and Molotov cocktail-throwing Palestinian protesters and fully-armed Israeli soldiers and police have claimed more than 80 lives, mostly Palestinians, and injured more than 2,000 so far.
The situation was further complicated by the kidnap of the three Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah, and Israel has been amassing forces to the north in preparation for a possible confrontation there.
This was the worst tension along the Lebanese-Israeli border after Israel withdrew its troops from south Lebanon in May after 22 years of occupation there.
In the meantime, some Arabs and Arab-owned properties were under attack by Israelis around the country Saturday night and tens of Israelis were arrested for the attacks.
Israeli military has also re-deployed tanks into the Gilo neighborhood in the southern part of Jerusalem, after pulling them out Thursday following a cease-fire agreement with Palestinian security forces.
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