World News 13-12-2001 Israel Gives Up On `Irrelevant` Arafat who: Israeli ministers what: Break off all links with Yasser Arafat after latest terrorist strike where: Israel when: Yesterday snippet: "Israel has severed contact with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, labelling him "irrelevant" and accusing him of responsibility for recent violence," reports this morning`s Express after Palestinian gunmen ambushed a bus in the West Bank last night, killing 10 Israelis and wounding 30. "The carnage unfolded after nightfall when two roadside bombs blew the back off an inter-city bus as it climbed towards the Jewish settlement of Emmanuel in the West Bank," says Suzanne Goldenberg in the Guardian, before describing how, as the vehicle shuddered to a halt, "at least three gunmen opened fire from the hills, strafing passengers and rescue crews with gunfire and grenades as they stumbled into the darkness." "They opened fire at everyone," Arik Malachi, the driver of a bus following the stricken vehicle, told Israel Radio. "They came behind the bus, and started shooting at all the people who were escaping." "A statement from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon`s office issued after a special meeting of the security cabinet said Israel had decided to hold Mr Arafat `directly responsible` for terrorist attacks," explains BBC Online. "Yasser Arafat is no longer relevant to the state of Israel and there will be no more contact with him," read the statement. "It added that Israeli troops would be rapidly deployed into Gaza and the West Bank to make arrests and confiscate weapons. Plans were also being drawn up on combating militant Islamic groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad." Mr Arafat appeared to try to salvage the situation last night, adds the Independent`s Phil Reeves. "After the attack, Palestinian officials said there was an order to close all institutions of the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad group. Israel is unlikely to take that seriously; it has derided Palestinian claims to have arrested 180 militants in recent days." [... more]

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