Israel ready for deadly push if truce talks fail

If the talks fail amid continuing Palestinian violence, there is growing support both in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government and in the Israeli army for what one official called a ‘‘comprehensive military confrontation’’ with the Palestinians.

‘‘The next days might be crucial because if we don’t succeed (in the cease-fire talks), we may come to the conclusion that there is no hope and we have to choose the other way,’’ said one highly placed Israeli official.

The Israeli warnings seem designed both to prepare domestic and international opinion for a new round of bloodshed, and to induce Palestinians to crack down on militant groups and accede to Israel’s truce terms.

However, previous warnings have been met with Palestinian threats and attacks. Western criticism of Israeli aggression has generated sympathy for the Palestinian cause. As Israeli and Palestinian casualties have soared in recent months, Sharon’s popularity has plummeted.Israelis do not believe the 74-year-old leader has a strategy to extricate the country from one of its deepest crises. When Sharon pleaded with Israelis last month to prepare themselves for a drawn-out struggle, his ratings dipped further.

When he announced, also last month, his policy was to inflict heavy losses on the Palestinians so they would drop demands unacceptable to Israel, some moderates in his coalition rebelled. His foreign minister, Shimon Peres, has warned repeatedly that there is no military solution to the conflict.

Officials are reluctant to reveal the details of military plans, other than to say they could involve driving deeper into Palestinian cities, towns and refugee camps than they did this month, staying considerably longer and hunting down more suspected militants and terrorists.

But the officials are mindful there are limits. No one in a position of power in Israel is seriously considering a complete and indefinite reoccupation of the West Bank and Gaza, carpet-bombing Ramallah, destroying the Palestinian water and electricity systems, a senior official said.

Officials also acknowledge Israeli planners are sensitive to political constraints on an all-out offensive, including fear of igniting a regional war and the likelihood of US criticism. An Israeli newspaper said when Vice-President Dick Cheney visited Israel last week, Sharon ‘‘reached an agreement’’ that if Zinni’s mission fails, the US would support Israeli strikes on Palestinians. US officials did not deny the report. (LATWP)

State of affairs now…