Hamas calls off suicide bombings in Israel

Associated Press WriterGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- The Islamic militant group Hamas announced Friday that it is suspending suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Israel, boosting chances for a U.S.-brokered truce to take hold and end 15 months of fighting.

The announcement came after two days of clashes between Palestinian police -- which has been trying to enforce a cease-fire -- and supporters of Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group. The fighting left three Palestinians dead and 94 hurt, including two people killed Friday in fresh clashes in a Gaza refugee camp.

Hamas said in a leaflet faxed to news agencies that it ordered the attacks suspended "until further notice" to preserve Palestinian unity. The announcement was seen as a victory for beleaguered Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who has been under intense U.S. and European pressure to prevent attacks on Israel.

It was the first time Hamas had made such a promise in the 15 months of fighting.

However, the Hamas decision referred to stopping suicide attacks only in Israel, not in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, leaving open the possibility of further violence. The ban on mortar fire extended to both Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to the leaflet.

A senior Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Hamas announcement was a result of negotiations between leaders of the group and senior Palestinian Authority officials that ended early Friday.

Israel's reaction was guarded. In the past 15 months of fighting, scores of Israelis have been killed in attacks by Islamic militants, including 36 this month.

"What's positive? That they stop terror activities in one place, but keep murdering women and children somewhere else?" said Raanan Gissin, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "As long as the terror activities continue ... we will implement our right of self-defense, and we will act against them with all our might."

It was not clear whether Islamic Jihad would also suspend attacks. Abu Imad Rifai, the Islamic Jihad representative in Lebanon, said his group would continue suicide attacks against Israel.

Despite the Hamas announcement, tensions were running high in Gaza.

In the Jebaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, thousands of mourners on Friday joined the funeral procession of a 17-year-old Islamic Jihad supporter killed Thursday in a gun battle with Palestinian police. "Resistance will continue despite the sacrifices," the crowd chanted as dozens of gunmen fired in the air.

When the funeral procession passed the local Palestinian police station, gunmen opened fire at officers inside, drawing return fire. Two Palestinians were killed and 55 hurt in the exchange, doctors said. Frantic bystanders, including a woman holding an infant swaddled in a blanket, ran for cover or crouched down behind cars.

Earlier in the day, about 400 Hamas supporters marched on a police station in the Dir al-Balah refugee camp in central Gaza, throwing rocks and bottles. Police fired in the air to repel the demonstrators.

In the West Bank town of Tulkarem, Palestinian police prevented militants from Arafat's Fatah movement from firing at Israeli soldiers, and the militants fired at the police instead, the Palestinian governor said. Two people were wounded as they tried to separate the two sides, he said.

In Gaza City, confrontations erupted over police attempts to arrest Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader, who said Friday he would not surrender. Late Thursday, hundreds of Hamas backers confronted police wielding clubs and shields outside the Gaza City home where Rantisi has been staying.

A riot was averted when the police withdrew, as officials tried to persuade Rantisi to surrender. Arafat's representatives offered Rantisi a house arrest arrangement like the one imposed on Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, officials said. Fatah secretary Ahmed Hillas, handling the contacts, was confident a deal could be worked out. "We are all in the same boat," he said.

Arafat had renewed his truce call in a speech Sunday. He referred to suicide bombings and other operations against Israel as "terrorist activity" for the first time. Arafat's speech pitted his security forces against the activists, including some affiliated with Arafat's Fatah. Arafat has always moved carefully in confronting his rivals, fearing a civil war.

However, Israeli officials remained skeptical of Arafat's intentions. Government officials said Arafat was doing just enough to win back sympathy from the United States and Europe, which have heaped criticism on the Palestinian leader for failing to stop the violent extremists.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said envoy Anthony Zinni would return to the region only "when his presence can be effective in moving toward a durable cease-fire." Zinni left last weekend after three weeks of fruitless truce talks marred by bloody Palestinian attacks and harsh Israeli reprisal raids.