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Suicide Bomber Strikes in Gaza as Israel Ends Blockade Around Bethlehem

JERUSALEM (AP) - A Palestinian suicide bomber tried to carry out an attack in Gaza on Friday, the Israeli military said, the first such attempt since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat called for an end to attacks earlier this month.

Meanwhile, in a sign of easing tension in the West Bank, Israel lifted its blockade around Bethlehem as a Christmas gesture early Friday, but kept a ban on Arafat entering the biblical town despite international protests.

The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which has not promised to abide by Arafat's call for a cease-fire, took responsibility for Friday's bombing attempt in a fax sent to The Associated Press in Beirut.

The Israeli military said the Palestinian attacker, carrying an assault rifle and an anti-tank missile, approached Israeli forces near the Netzarim junction in central Gaza. Soldiers shot and killed him, and found that he was wearing an explosives belt that did not detonate. Palestinian security officials had no comment.

On Dec. 16, Arafat called for an end to attacks against Israelis, saying he has always denounced suicide bombings. In response, the militant Hamas announced it was suspending suicide attacks in Israel but would continue targeting Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza.

In its statement Friday, Jihad vowed to "continue with Jihad (holy war) and resistance, using all means and in any part of our nation Palestine, until the occupation ends."

The body of Tsion Ohana, an Israeli missing for 11 days, was found Friday in a West Bank cave, police said. Israel's West Bank police commander, Shahar Ayalon, said three Palestinians were directly involved in the killing, and it was apparently a criminal and not a terrorist assault. He said the Palestinians sold Ohana's car the day of the killing.

Around Bethlehem Friday, Israeli soldiers opened roadblocks, allowing Palestinians to enter and leave freely for the first time in weeks, witnesses said. However, they were not allowed to enter Jerusalem, a few miles away. Palestinians without special permits are still banned from the city.

Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said that Israel was lifting the blockade around Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, to ease access to holy sites during the Christmas season.

The roadblocks have choked off West Bank Palestinian towns through most of the 15 months of Palestinian-Israeli fighting.

The Israelis say the restrictions are necessary to keep militant attackers out of Israel, and tightened the closures earlier this month after a series of Palestinian suicide bomb attacks. Palestinians charge that the restrictions, which have ruined their economy, are collective punishment and pressure.

On Wednesday, Israeli troops lifted the blockade around Jericho, a Palestinian town in the Jordan River valley.

Though restrictions around Bethlehem were lifted, Israel said Arafat would still not be allowed to visit the town.

Raanan Gissin, spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said Arafat would not be permitted to take part in Orthodox Christmas observances in Bethlehem on Jan. 6. Israel banned Arafat from Latin Christmas celebrations this week, setting off a wave of international criticism.

Arafat has been marooned at his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah since an Israeli air strike destroyed his helicopters on Dec. 3 in response to the suicide bombings.

Gissin said he would not be allowed to leave Ramallah until he arrests the assassins of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi, gunned down in Jerusalem on Oct. 17.

In 15 months of violence, 851 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and 242 on the Israeli side.

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon assured critics in his right-wing Likud Party that he, and not moderate Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, will manage future peace negotiations with the Palestinians. "When the day comes for peace talks, I will run them," Sharon said.

Peres has been holding informal talks with Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia, a key negotiator. They have been discussing a framework for a possible peace deal in which Israel's recognition of a Palestinian state would be a first step, officials on both sides said.

The two sides remain far apart on the dimensions of such a state and hopes for progress are slim, but Sharon has nonetheless come under fire from his hard-line constituents for not stopping the Peres-Qureia contacts.

Asked about the talks in an interview on Fox TV broadcast Friday, Arafat said, "We are ready to be very positive if they offer something concrete."

Sharon insisted that there can be no peace negotiations before all violence stops. But he added, "The contacts can continue on a specific issue to aid us in reaching an end to terrorism and to a cease-fire."

-- Anonymous, December 28, 2001