Friday, April 6 5:35 AM SGT

US fires rare double-barreled shot of criticism at Israel

WASHINGTON, April 5 (AFP) -

The United States fired a rare double-barreled shot of criticism at Israel on Thursday, blasting plans for new settlements in the Palestinian territories and protesting an incident in which Israeli soldiers opened fire on a convoy of Palestinian officials.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher called the shooting, which occurred as the Palestinians were returning to Gaza after US-facilitated security talks with Israeli officials, "a very serious incident."

On hearing of it, Secretary of State Colin Powell immediately telephoned both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to urge restraint, Boucher told reporters.

"We wanted to ensure that escalation would not ensue," Boucher told reporters, adding that Washington understood Sharon and Arafat had also spoken directly to each other after the incident.

Boucher then read the riot act to Israel, spelling out in terse and blunt detail what the United States expected from the Jewish state, particularly after Washington had worked hard to arrange the security talks, the first since Sharon took office last month.

"Israel does have a responsibility to provide the safety and security of Palestinian officials traveling to and from security meetings," he said.

"Prior to this meeting, we had been assured by Israeli officials that this would be the case," Boucher added, using language diplomats reserve for expressing extreme frustration.

He said that details of the incident were still unclear although a senior State Department official said the shooting had occurred within earshot of US embassy employees who had shuttled the Palestinians to the meeting from Gaza.

"Our guys had just dropped them off and were heading back when the shooting broke out," the official said.

Sharon told Powell the shooting had not been deliberate and that he would be conducting an investigation, Boucher said.

Israel has admitted firing on the convoy late Wednesday just after it entered the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing with Israel, following a meeting of security chiefs aimed at quelling months of deadly unrest.

However, Israeli officials say it was a response to fire from one of the escorting vehicles on an army post.

The Palestinians are pressing the United States to take "harsh" action against Israel for the incident which they term a premeditated ambush.

Washington had helped arrange the security meeting which was the first since Sharon took office a month ago and follows a fierce upsurge in violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Despite the incident, Boucher said Washington would continue to assist with the security talks.

"What we see as the useful role that we can play by our engagement is to facilitate their direct bilateral discussions," he said.

Meanwhile, Boucher also slammed Israel's plans for the new settlements "provocative" and running directly opposite to moves Washington believes are helpful to peace and stability in the region.

"Continuing settlement activity by Israel does risk further inflaming an already volatile situation in the region," he said. "This is provocative and we have consistently encouraged both sides to refrain from provocative acts."

Earlier, the Israeli housing ministry published tenders for 708 homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, drawing an immediate outcry from Palestinians and left-wing Israelis.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the tenders were part of an Israeli "policy of aggression."

The settlements, which are illegal under international law, have been at the flashpoint of the six-month Palestinian intifada or uprising that has killed almost 470 people, most of them Palestinians.

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001