Sharon Threatens to Freeze Peace Push

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Sunday that peace efforts with the Palestinians would be frozen if they do not crack down on militant groups in the wake of a weekend suicide bombing that killed four Israelis outside a Tel Aviv nightclub.

Friday's attack and its aftermath broke two weeks of relative calm and strained recently warming relations between the Israelis and Palestinians following the election of moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas last month. Dozens of people were wounded in the bombing.

There were conflicting accounts as to who was responsible for the attack. Islamic Jihad , a Palestinian militant group with leadership in Lebanon and Syria , claimed responsibility Saturday after first denying any connection to the bombing.

Abbas blamed the attack on a "third party," which other Palestinian officials said was the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran. Hezbollah denied the accusation.

A senior Israeli military official said Hezbollah had nothing to do with the attack but was vigorously working to carry out other attacks on Israel. Police remained on heightened alert throughout the country Sunday.

More ...