Israel closes universities in wake of bombings

JERUSALEM -- Israel barred a Palestinian delegation from attending a Mideast conference in London and decided to close three Palestinian universities Monday -- a relatively muted response to the deadliest suicide attack in nearly a year.

Bombings on the scale of the twin blasts in Tel Aviv on Sunday -- 22 killed and more than 100 wounded -- in the past triggered major Israeli military offensives.

But Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's options for retaliation are increasingly limited, with Israel's general election only three weeks away and the United States eager to keep a lid on Mideast violence ahead of a possible strike against Iraq.

An offshoot of a militia linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombings, prompting new Israeli accusations that the Palestinian leader encourages and even orders attacks on Israelis.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the bombings and denied any involvement.

Israel's Cabinet, meeting early Monday, did not order Arafat's expulsion, seeking to avoid friction with Washington ahead of a possible U.S.-Iraq war. However, Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, a member of the security Cabinet, said he expected Arafat will eventually be ousted from the West Bank.