MIDDLE EAST: Israel yesterday arrested 15 militants and prohibited most Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from entering Israel in response to a suicide bomb which killed five Israelis a day earlier.
The relatively restrained reaction raised the possibility that more bloodshed might be averted. Harsher actions, such as killing Islamic Jihad leaders blamed for Monday's bombing were still possible, Israeli officials said.
Palestinian security also arrested some Islamic Jihad militants, leading the small, violent group to charge that the Palestinian Authority was acting as Israel's police force.
The suicide bombing in hard- hit Netanya, 14km (nine miles) from the West Bank, came as both Israel and the Palestinians were in the midst of election campaigns. A sudden escalation could boost hardliners challenging the sitting governments, so both sides had an interest in keeping the lid on.
The open-ended closure order banned thousands of Palestinian workers from reaching their jobs in Israel. Christians will be allowed access to Jerusalem during the Christian holidays in December.