MIDDLE EAST: New Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered security forces yesterday to prevent all attacks on Israel by militants who have defied his calls for calm.
But militants, some warning there could be clashes with Palestinian forces, ruled out any halt to attacks before an end to "Israeli aggression" in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Israel described the measure as a "small step", but said Mr Abbas must at least deploy forces to stop rocket fire from Gaza for the Jewish state to restore ties cut last week after an assault on a border crossing that killed six Israelis. "Abu Mazen [ Mr Abbas] and the cabinet gave clear instructions to the security chiefs to prevent all kinds of violence, including attacks against Israel," cabinet minister Mr Qadoura Fares told Reuters.
Officials said there was no exception for attacks on troops or settlers in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said violators "will be punished".
Israel has made halting Palestinian attacks a condition for talks, and bloodshed in Gaza has weighed on optimism for resolving decades of conflict after Mr Abbas succeeded the late president Yasser Arafat with a call to stop armed struggle.
Palestinian officials gave no firm details on how attacks would be stopped. Security forces have been weakened by Israeli raids during four years of violence. Some members have close ties to militants.
"This will not resolve the problem but it could cause a Palestinian-Palestinian problem," said senior Islamic Jihad leader Mr Nafez Azzam, adding that neither the factions nor the security agencies wanted to clash. "We hope things will be solved through dialogue," he said.