Government officials have been negotiating with the PA for three weeks about the proposal to allow the PA full responsibility for security in Jericho, Tul Karem and two other cities in Samaria.
Israel arrested two of the terrorist's brothers and four neighbors in their village near Tul Karem. One of them was a Muslim cleric. The suicide bomber who killed four celebrants at a Tel Aviv nightclub on Friday night was 21-year-old university student Abdullah Badran. The PA said it arrested two terrorists in connection with the attack.
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, following an emergency meeting Saturday night with security officials, said Israel would act against the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization that was behind the attack. However, officials added they are waiting to see what action the PA takes before considering any major security counter-offensive.
Public Security (Police) Minister Gideon Ezra said the PA must "do more to prevent such attacks." He added that anti-disengagement demonstrations are hampering efforts to control terror because of the need to place security personnel at protests.
Different terrorist organizations created confusion concerning who was behind the attack. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade terrorists originally took responsibility for the explosion at the nightclub, but later denied it. Al-Aqsa then reported that a Hizbullah-backed Islamic Jihad group had asked them to take responsibility. But both groups, along with Hamas terrorists, celebrated the attack by shooting in the air.
The PA accepted the terrorist groups' denial and tried to put the blame on Hizbullah, whose Lebanese office also denied it was involved.
Mofaz said Syrian terrorists backed Friday night's attack. He added that Israel will not allow an Islamic Jihad leader to leave Israel for a planned meeting with the group's representatives in Egypt.
PA chairman Abu Mazen called the attack an act of sabotage. "We will follow and track down those responsible and they will be punished accordingly," according to a statement he issued to reporters.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice demanded that Palestinian leaders find the culprits and "send a clear message that terror will not be tolerated."
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat expressed concerns that Israel would retaliate. "We are asking the international community to move immediately to ensure that Israel does not use this kind of operation as an excuse for aggressions against the Palestinian people," he said.
Hamas terrorists blamed the attack on Israel, explaining that "Israeli aggressions and crimes are continuing even we as are observing this period of quiet."
Israel arrested two of the terrorist's brothers and four neighbors in their village near Tul Karem. One of them was a Muslim cleric. The suicide bomber who killed four celebrants at a Tel Aviv nightclub on Friday night was 21-year-old university student Abdullah Badran. The PA said it arrested two terrorists in connection with the attack.
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, following an emergency meeting Saturday night with security officials, said Israel would act against the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization that was behind the attack. However, officials added they are waiting to see what action the PA takes before considering any major security counter-offensive.
Public Security (Police) Minister Gideon Ezra said the PA must "do more to prevent such attacks." He added that anti-disengagement demonstrations are hampering efforts to control terror because of the need to place security personnel at protests.
Different terrorist organizations created confusion concerning who was behind the attack. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade terrorists originally took responsibility for the explosion at the nightclub, but later denied it. Al-Aqsa then reported that a Hizbullah-backed Islamic Jihad group had asked them to take responsibility. But both groups, along with Hamas terrorists, celebrated the attack by shooting in the air.
The PA accepted the terrorist groups' denial and tried to put the blame on Hizbullah, whose Lebanese office also denied it was involved.
Mofaz said Syrian terrorists backed Friday night's attack. He added that Israel will not allow an Islamic Jihad leader to leave Israel for a planned meeting with the group's representatives in Egypt.
PA chairman Abu Mazen called the attack an act of sabotage. "We will follow and track down those responsible and they will be punished accordingly," according to a statement he issued to reporters.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice demanded that Palestinian leaders find the culprits and "send a clear message that terror will not be tolerated."
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat expressed concerns that Israel would retaliate. "We are asking the international community to move immediately to ensure that Israel does not use this kind of operation as an excuse for aggressions against the Palestinian people," he said.
Hamas terrorists blamed the attack on Israel, explaining that "Israeli aggressions and crimes are continuing even we as are observing this period of quiet."