Palestinian and Israeli mourners buried their dead yesterday after the worst weekend of violence in eight months. The latest round of violence was triggered by Friday's suicide bomber in Netanya. In response, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, sent in F16 fighter-bombers in assaults on Nablus and Ramallah. It was first time since 1967 that Israel used warplanes against the occupied territories. Now Mr Sharon is facing harsh criticism, and there is mounting international concern about the escalating spiral of violence.
But if the Arab world could be expected to be harsh in its criticism, Mr Sharon is facing equally scathing critics at home. A leading Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronoth, has called his decision to use warplanes "pointless" and "stupid". The Israeli Defence Minister, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, says he is "not happy carrying out these kinds of bombastic operations". But as Yedioth Ahronoth points out: "This begs the question - why did you do it, to flex your muscles?" The newspaper says bombs dropped on Nablus and Ramallah were as "stupid" and "pointless", and asks: "Does anyone believe that two F16s over the West Bank can deter Islamic bombers and those who send them?"
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, has warned that urgent measures are needed and has called for "negotiation, not terror". But resorting to terror is not the prerogative of terrorist organisations. One Israeli commentator says Friday's air attacks "looked like a basic revenge operation - an eye for an eye. But revenge as policy points to weakness and frustration."
Mr Sharon appears intent on escalating a limited war to a more radical and dangerous level, and has promised his cabinet colleagues to "do whatever it takes" to protect Israeli lives. But there are other options. Instead of alienating his nearest neighbours and only friends in the Arab world, he could try to negotiate on the joint Egyptian-Jordanian proposals. He could pay attention, too, to Senator George Mitchell's report, due to be published today, and its calls for an immediate end to violence and a freeze on settlement activity. Sadly, however, another report published yesterday claims Mr Sharon's government has set up 15 new sites since taking office in March.
The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has called for all leaders in the Middle East to do everything in their power immediately to bring about an unconditional cessation of violence. But Mr Powell knows that while Mr Arafat cannot control Hamas suicide bombers Mr Sharon can control his fighter jets. Washington appears to be unwilling to rein in its friends in Israel, and without direct intervention from the White House, Mr Sharon can be expected to continue his present course.
In the long run, Mr Sharon may find his air assaults self-defeating and that they galvanise greater support for the Palestinians. A former Israeli air force commander, has warned Mr Sharon he may be "playing into the hands" of Yasser Arafat. But worse still, Mr Sharon may be playing into the hands of Hamas, and as Palestinians lose all faith in the peace process, Hamas may find many more willing recruits and more potential suicide bombers.