Israel serves notice to U.S.: Palestinian attacks have gone
too far

JERUSALEM — Israel has warned the United States that Palestinian attacks have become intolerable.

Officials said the Israeli message was relayed to the Bush administration by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Sharon discussed the latest fighting with the Palestinians in a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on late Monday.

Palestinians gunners mortars at the Gush Katif bloc of settlements on Tuesday. Earlier, gunners mortars toward an Israeli position at the Erez terminal in the northern Gaza Strip and the Jewish settlement of Atzmona.

A shell damaged a Jewish school in the settlement. The building was empty.

Israel responded by firing missiles toward at least two PA installations in northern Gaza on Tuesday. This included a facility by the PA intelligence and that of the PA coast guard, a military unit. An Israeli military announcement said gunners fired anti-tank missiles near Gaza City and in Dir El Balah.

Palestinian sources said eight people were injured in the Israeli attack.

Israeli military sources said Palestinians have fired 65 mortar shells toward Israeli targets during the last week. The sources said the PA produces mortar shells in a secret factory in Gaza.

A security meeting scheduled between Israel and the Palestinian Authority for Monday night was cancelled. No explanation was given but sources said the PA demanded an apology for an Israeli shooting incident toward a convoy of Palestinian security officials last week.

"I will not attend such a meeting before all the rules and bases for such meetings are changed and before Israel apologizes," PA security chief Mohammed Dahlan said.

Sharon has sent the PA a letter that expresses regret over the shooting incident. But PA officials said the letter is not a clear apology.

Still, Palestinian sources said the Bush administration is pressing the PA to meet Israeli security officials on Tuesday. The sources said Powell obtained this commitment from Israel and the PA on Monday.

On Tuesday, PLO Executive Committee secretary Mahmoud Abbas arrives in Washington. Abbas, regarded as the No. 2 in the PLO, is expected to hold talks with U.S. officials.