Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon demanded today that the Palestinians "wipe out" militant groups in response to a Tel Aviv suicide bombing and put peacemaking on hold until strong moves were taken.
Addressing his cabinet in forceful tones, Mr Sharon threatened military action against militants in the absence of a crackdown by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who declared a ceasefire along with the Israeli leader at a summit on February 8th.
"There will not be any diplomatic progress, I repeat, no diplomatic progress, until the Palestinians take vigorous action to wipe out the terror groups and their infrastructure in the Palestinian Authority's territory," Mr Sharon said.
He said Mr Abbas's "immediate test" after the bombing at a Tel Aviv nightclub on Friday was to act against Islamic Jihad, which claimed responsibility for the attack that killed four Israelis and shattered a de facto truce that had boosted hopes for peace.
If action was not taken, Mr Sharon said in the broadcast remarks, "Israel will have to step up its military activities that are aimed at protecting the lives of Israeli citizens".
Mr Sharon did not elaborate, but earlier Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim said that if Mr Abbas did not rein in militants, the Israeli military would "resume all tactics", including assassinations of Islamic Jihad leaders.
Palestinian militant groups rejected the truce announced at the Sharon-Abbas summit in Egypt but had said they would abide by the informal ceasefire that preceded the summit.
There was no immediate Palestinian comment on Mr Sharon's remarks. Mr Abbas strongly condemned the Tel Aviv bombing, the first deadly Palestinian attack in Israel since November, saying it was aimed at sabotaging peace efforts.
But immediately after the bombing, Israeli leaders said he should start to arrest and disarm militants, as required by a US-backed peace "road map",