US loathe to criticise Israeli raid

The United States rapped Israel on the knuckles yesterday for a raid into the West Bank town of Nablus in which Israeli forces killed a commander of the militant group Hamas and blew up a seven-story apartment building housing 28 Palestinian families.

But the US State Department declined to say directly that it opposed such operations. A senior State Department official said that would be interpreted as criticism of Israel.

"Our position on targeted killings has not changed," said spokesman Richard Boucher. Asked if he meant the US opposed the killings, he said: "That's the case."

The senior official, who asked not to be named, said the State Department drew a distinction between taking a public position and merely referring to previous policy statements.

The raid into Nablus differed from many previous "targeted killings" or assassinations in that the Israelis said the aim was to detain rather to kill the Hamas commander.

As after other recent Israeli killings, the US said it recognised an Israeli right to defend itself but urged the Israelis to consider the consequences of their actions and the effects on innocent Palestinians.

"Nablus was another example of the difficulties, not only the tragedy but also the difficulties, caused by these kinds of actions and we need to find a different way to move forward," said the senior official.

Earlier yesterday, Secretary of State Colin Powell promised Washington would work harder on Middle East peace. He also backed Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas against President Yasser Arafat and Palestinian militants.

"We need to redouble our efforts. We need to keep the pressure on both sides to do everything they can to get to that point where Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace," Powell said in a speech at George Washington University.

But Boucher gave no indication that the Bush administration planned any Middle East initiative beyond the routine.

"The secretary has made clear how involved we are. The secretary has sent Ambassador (John) Wolf back. He's been there for a week so he's heavily involved. Our envoys are heavily involved and we will stay very involved," he said.

On Thursday the State Department blamed the Palestinians for the breakdown in Middle East peace diplomacy and suggested it was up to the Palestinian Authority to take the next step by cracking down on the militants.

Powell criticised Arafat, whom the US has ostracized since June last year, and revived the US appeal for European steps against Hamas.

"Unfortunately Chairman Yasser Arafat has not been playing a helpful role. He has not been an interlocutor for peace over the years. His actions do not move the parties farther down the road to peace," Powell said.

"Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad must be isolated. The entire international community must come together to isolate them, brand them as terrorists, do everything we can to cut off all of the funding," he added.

Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, has asked the Palestinian legislature to give him full authority over all Palestinian security forces or withdraw the mandate it gave him.

He may face a vote of confidence this week and if he loses the United States, having rejected Arafat, would no longer have a Palestinian leader to deal with.

Powell said the US supported Abbas on the question of security forces and on the related question of channeling all Palestinian revenues through Abbas's office.

He also renewed Washington's commitment to the Middle East peace plan known as the road map.

"Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis like everything about the road map, but neither has an alternative that is both available and better. The road map is sound. We stand by it, and we know the travelers will get to their common destination to peace if they follow that map," he said.