BBC day, 2 July, 2001, 11:19 GMT 12:19 UK

Mid-East truce 'close to collapse'

The Middle East is on the brink of a new crisis as the fragile truce agreed between Israel and the Palestinians is undermined by fresh violence, the United Nations has warned.

UN special envoy to the region Terje Roed-Larsen issued the statement after a meeting in Gaza with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Only a few hours earlier, two car bombs had exploded in the central Israeli town of Yehud, near Tel Aviv - the first such attack inside Israel for several weeks.

On Sunday, five Palestinians, including a prominent militant activist, died in clashes with Israeli forces.

"The situation is very difficult," said Mr Roed-Larsen.

"The events of the last couple of days show how fragile the ceasefire is. All indications are now it will not hold."

"We have very few days again, I think, if these incidents continue to happen. It will mean that the ceasefire will not hold and we will face a new crisis.

"That's why it is now incredibly important for all parties concerned to hold back."

Both the devices that exploded in Yehud were left in a car park close to a kindergarten. Security sources said the target appeared to be a nearby residential area. Six people were treated for shock.

In a statement, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said it had planted the bombs in retaliation for an attack on Sunday by an Israeli helicopter gunship near the West Bank town of Jenin.

Three Palestinians died in that attack, including a prominent member of the militant group Hamas, Mohammed Besharat.

'Ugly crimes'

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat angrily condemned the killings.

"This was a flagrant violation of the ceasefire," he told journalists on Monday.

"The international parties should move to condemn these ugly crimes against humanity, against the Palestinian people."

Since a truce mediated by the CIA Director George Tenet took effect on 13 June, at least 13 Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed.

'Preventative measure'

Israeli officials said the Jenin raid was carried out to prevent a "terrorist" attack that it said was being planned by Mr Besharat.

Earlier on Sunday, two Palestinians - one of them a policeman - died in a gun battle with Israeli forces in the same area.

They too had links with Hamas. According to the Israeli military, they had been planning to plant a roadside bomb near a military base.

Palestinian security officials said the two were intending to set off a roadside bomb as a procession of Jewish settlers passed by later in the day.

In a separate development, Israel launched a series of air strikes against Syrian targets inside Lebanon over the weekend in retaliation for the shelling of Israeli positions by Hezbollah militants.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed that a week-long test period was needed to see if the Palestinians were ready to comply with the US-brokered ceasefire.

But the Israelis and Palestinians disagree sharply over the agreement's timetable.

Under the plan, the week without violence is intended to lead to six weeks of cooling off, followed by confidence-building measures.

The Israelis insist the period of calm has yet to begin, while Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said the seven-day countdown began last Wednesday.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 2001