Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his security mini-cabinet - Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer - decided last night that the army would not take action in retaliation of yesterday\'s attack. Gen. Anthony Zinni is meeting with Arafat this afternoon, and a meeting between Israeli and PLO representatives on the topic of achieving a ceasefire will be held today. Israeli security officials are not optimistic. A similar meeting yesterday produced no results, and a planned meeting last night was called off because of the murderous suicide bomb-blast in Jerusalem.
The Prime Minister\'s Office released a statement last night placing sole blame on Arafat \"for the continuation of murderous terrorist attacks. Arafat has done nothing up until now to advance the cease-fire and he is acting, whether covertly or through inability, to torpedo Gen. Zinni\'s mission. Israel will be unable - for long - to persist in a unilateral effort to implement the Tenet document...\"
Right-wing fury took on stronger tones today in light of the decision not to fight back. MK Michael Kleiner suggested a campaign of civil disobedience to force the government to declare war and liquidate the Palestinian Authority; MK Avigdor Lieberman, who recently resigned his post as Infrastructures Minister in protest over government policy, said that war must be undertaken against the PA and the reserves must be called up; and Prof. Hillel Weiss of Professors for a Strong Israel said that yesterday\'s deaths must be avenged.
The Prime Minister\'s Office released a statement last night placing sole blame on Arafat \"for the continuation of murderous terrorist attacks. Arafat has done nothing up until now to advance the cease-fire and he is acting, whether covertly or through inability, to torpedo Gen. Zinni\'s mission. Israel will be unable - for long - to persist in a unilateral effort to implement the Tenet document...\"
Right-wing fury took on stronger tones today in light of the decision not to fight back. MK Michael Kleiner suggested a campaign of civil disobedience to force the government to declare war and liquidate the Palestinian Authority; MK Avigdor Lieberman, who recently resigned his post as Infrastructures Minister in protest over government policy, said that war must be undertaken against the PA and the reserves must be called up; and Prof. Hillel Weiss of Professors for a Strong Israel said that yesterday\'s deaths must be avenged.