Ariel’s shot: Time for tough steps

Palestinian officials said new President Mahmoud Abbas would try again this week to win over fighters defying his calls for an end to a four-year-old armed uprising so as to allow talks, but Israel suspects his approach is doomed to fail.

‘‘Despite the change in Palestinian leadership, we have yet to see them taking any action against terror,’’ Sharon told his cabinet, two days after cutting off all ties with Abbas because of the militant attack that killed six Israelis.

‘‘The Israeli military and security apparatus have been instructed to take any action needed without restriction to stop terror and they will continue to do so … as long the Palestinians do not lift a finger.’’ Israeli media said the army might consider resuming assassinations of top militant leaders and could set up ‘‘security zones’’ in the Gaza Strip to prevent mortar and rocket fire aimed into Israel or at Jewish settlements.

Israel has said if attacks stop, it would be ready to coordinate with the Palestinians on aspects of its plan to evacuate troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip this year before possible talks on statehood.

In Ramallah, the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) made a strong appeal to militants to stop attacks. In a statement, the PLO said it “demanded halting all military acts that harm our national interests and provide excuses to Israel, which wishes to obstruct Palestinian stability”.

Palestinian officials said Abbas would go to Gaza this week for new talks to persuade the fighters to stop attacks. ‘‘We need to reach a period of serious calm and Israel should also reciprocate,’’ Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said.

But Abbas failed to win a ceasefire ahead of last Sunday’s election not only from Islamist groups sworn to destroy Israel, but also from factions with his own Fatah movement demanding a state on land captured by Israel in the 1967 war. ‘‘If Abu Mazen doesn’t destroy terrorism, terrorism will destroy him,’’ said Israel’s Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim. Officials from Abbas’s Fatah have been talking to leaders of various militant groups to try to secure one final list of demands from all of them for a mutual truce with Israel. So far without success.

‘‘It is not appropriate to talk about a truce under continued Israeli assaults,’’ said Islamic Jihad leader Sheikh Nafez Azzam, who met Fatah officials. ‘‘All efforts should now focus on … demanding that Israel stop its aggression.’’ — Reuters