Israel seals Bethlehem, razes militant’s home

Israel declared the West Bank city of Bethlehem a closed military zone and razed the home of a Gaza militant following a Jerusalem suicide b...

Israel declared the West Bank city of Bethlehem a closed military zone and razed the home of a Gaza militant following a Jerusalem suicide bombing on a bus that killed 11 people.

Israeli PM Ariel Sharon had ruled out calling up reserves for an extensive military action on Thursday but instructed the Army to carry out ‘‘pinpoint’’ operations against militants, security sources said.

Sharon and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz cleared the way for military action in Bethlehem by declaring void an August agreement that led Israel to pull troops out of the city and hand security control over to the Palestinians.

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Since Israel’s withdrawal, Bethlehem has become ‘‘a safe haven for terrorists,’’ the two leaders noted in a Thursday meeting in which they pledged to act ‘‘against this infrastructure of terror’’.

After the meeting, Bethlehem was sealed off by the Army and the nearby villages of Hussan, Beitin and El-Khader were placed under curfew.

The bombing provided further evidence that militants were determined to make their presence felt in the run-up to Israel’s January 28 ballot, in which the Israeli electorate will have to make a clear choice between Hawks and Doves.

In the Gaza Strip, troops backed by two helicopters as well as 40 tanks and armoured vehicles entered the village of al-Qurara where they razed the home of a member of the Islamic militant Hamas group that claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem bus attack, Palestinian witnesses said. (Reuters)