suicide attack was averted because a car with explosives blew up to early killing all 3 occupants, reports said Monday, February 10.
Four Israeli soldiers near their outpost at the Gush Katif were wounded in the Sunday attack, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) explained.
Yet Sharon, who pledged never to "negotiate under fire" has continued the round of secret talks which began last week when the Prime Minister reportedly met Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker, Ahmed Qurei.
The official is widely seen as one of the two or three possible successors to current PA Chairman, Yasser Arafat, ICEJ analysts say.
BUREAU CHIEF
Negotiations are said to continue under the auspices of Sharon’s bureau chief and closest adviser, Dov Weisglass, who has embarked on a series of meetings with Palestinian Authority Interior Minister, Hani al-Hassan.
Weisglass told Israeli Radio that the talks "are aimed at achieving a cease-fire, based on a gradual withdrawal from the West Bank cities where Palestinian security forces are making serious attempts to prevent terrorist attacks."
Analysts say that the initiative reveals the increased nervousness both sides feel ahead of an expected war in Iraq.
IRAQI STRIKE
"Aside from the more general threat of some kind of Iraqi strike, Israel fears that Hizb’Allah will exploit the situation to launch missile attacks in the north, possibly even with chemical or biological warheads," the well informed ICEJ explained.
There is also concern that Palestinian militants will step-up attacks throughout the rest of the country. At the same time Palestinians fear that the international community will be preoccupied with events in Iraq, and that Israel will use this as a pre-text for closures and curfews.
The militant group Hamas has reportedly criticized the secret talks between the Palestinian Authority and the Sharon Government. Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi said the secret contacts between Palestinian officials and Sharon "are harmful."
"SHED BLOOD"
"Such meetings encourage the terrorist Sharon to perpetrate more crimes against our people and to shed our blood," Rantisi was quoted as saying. Hamas allegedly is seeking to replace the Palestinian Authority and is believed not to accept peace until it has eradicated the Jewish state.
Palestinian Christians in the region have urged churches to pray for peace and support for families who they say are losing lands to Jewish settlers. In addition the Bethlehem Bible College is concerned that the curfews will make it once again more difficult to operate.
Thousands of Christians are believed to have left the troubled areas in recent years.
