Fatah plans bombing attacks in West Bank, Gaza Strip

JERUSALEM — Israel is bracing for Palestinian bombing attacks around Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israeli military sources said agents of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat have been preparing to bomb Israeli bases and Jewish settlements. They said they expect the bombings to play a major role in the effort to escalate the mini-war with Israel.

The assessment was also voiced by Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz during a Cabinet meeting on Sunday. Military commanders said Arafat appears to have lost control of much of the West Bank as his officers haven't been paid in months and he has avoided entering the area since Oct. 3 in fear of assassination. They said the vacuum has been filled by General Intelligence chief Col. Tawfiq Tirawi.

Instead, Arafat's Fatah movement has been directing the violence. On Saturday, Fatah held a graduation ceremony in Gaza for 800 of its members who completed a military training course.

At the same time, the Islamic opposition Hamas movement issued a leaflet in which it claimed credit for four attacks on Israeli targets in November.

Israeli troops prevented a bombing attack near a Jewish settlement south of Jerusalem. Military sources said a Fatah militant was shot and killed as he attempted to place a bomb along a road to the settlement. Another Palestinian escaped during the bombing attempt on the Har Gilo settlement. The dead Palestinian was identified as Mahmoud Yusef Mughrabi, 25, a Fatah leader in Bethlehem. Fatah vowed revenge and hours later Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops in the nearby village of Khader.

Later, Israeli troops defused a Palestinian bomb near the Jewish settlement of Elon Moreh near Nablus. An armored bus that contained Israeli Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau came under Palestinian fire on Monday evening near Ramallah. Nobody was injured.

"We had a great miracle," the chief rabbi said.

An international commission of enquiry began its work in the Middle East on Monday with visits to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The panel is headed by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell and includes former Turkish President Suleiman Demirel.

The commission left for Cairo on Monday night and will then head for Jordan. On Tuesday, panel members will meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah.