The Israeli prime minister has accused the Palestinians of stepping up attacks against Israel to take advantage of US preoccupations with Iraq.
The Palestinians are attempting "to escalate the terror attacks before a possible US action in Iraq," Mr Ariel Sharon told the English-language Jerusalem Post.
"Their operating assumption is that the closer we come to a US attack in Iraq, the more difficult it will be for Israel to respond to terrorism. They understand that Israel does not want to cause difficulties for the US".
But he described growing criticism by the Bush administration of Israel's tight blockade on Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat in Ramallah as "a disagreement among good friends".
Mr Sharon described those holed up with Arafat in his besieged offices whom Israel is demanding be handed over as "a group of murderers, the biggest terrorists that exist".
Mr Sharon also disclosed that if an Iraqi missile attack on Israel caused no casualties or damage the Jewish state might not respond.
But he warned: "If on the other hand, harm is done to Israel, if we suffer casualties or if non-conventional weapons of mass destruction are used against us, then definitely Israel will take the proper actions to defend its citizens."
AFP