Israel severs ties with Abbas

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will refuse to meet Mahmoud Abbas until the new Palestinian leader moves against militant groups behind an attack that killed six Israelis in Gaza, Mr Sharon's spokesman said yesterday.

"Israel is severing all planned contacts with the Palestinians on all levels, from security to government leadership," spokesman Assaf Shariv said, a day after the assault that defied Mr Abbas's calls for non-violence.

"Everything is cancelled until they take steps against terror, so we can see there is not only talk but also action. (Mr) Abbas knows who carried out the attack, so he will be the one to stop them. It's very easy," he said.

Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas, who swept to victory in a presidential election last Sunday, spoke by phone this week in the highest level Israeli-Palestinian contact in years.

They had been widely expected to meet soon to discuss security coordination in the run-up to Israel's planned pullout from Gaza later this year and a possible revival of violence-stalled peace talks.

Palestinian Minister of Negotiation Affairs Saeb Erekat told Reuters that Israeli officials had called him to relay Mr Sharon's message to Mr Abbas, who has said he wanted to coopt militants rather than confront them. "I told them that we reject that you hold Abu Mazen responsible because he is not sworn in yet as president," Mr Erekat said, using Mr Abbas's nickname.

"The only way to end this vicious cycle of violence is by resuming peace talks and not suspending them."

Mr Abbas, due to be inaugurated as Yasser Arafat's successor as president today, condemned the bloodshed at Israel's Karni border cargo terminal, a commercial lifeline in Gaza, and deadly raids Israel has mounted against gunmen.

The three militants who carried out the attack, killing six Israelis, were shot dead by security forces at the heavily guarded crossing.

Israel sealed off Gaza and closed all border crossings after the deadly bombing, which was claimed by Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is part of Mr Abbas's Fatah faction.

"We will continue to chase you and disrupt your sleep until you leave the land you occupied," the militant movements said in a statement. "(The attack) affirms the consensus of the resistance factions on the choice of jihad (holy struggle)."