Violence haunting Sharon's coalition

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon has completed his political jigsaw, putting together a coalition government with the avowed aim of ending a bloody Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.

Police urged Israelis yesterday to beware of suicide bombers after a Palestinian killed himself and three Israelis on Sunday on a crowded street in the heart of the coastal town of Netanya.

At least 341 Palestinians, 65 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed since the uprising broke out five months ago with deadlock in peace negotiations.

Sharon signed up the 17-seat ultra-Orthodox Shas Party for his "national unity" coalition, ensuring a majority in the 120-seat Knesset to assure parliamentary approval of his governing coalition by a self-set Thursday deadline.

Waiting in the wings is the militant Islamic group Hamas, which has threatened to unleash 10 suicide bombers as soon as Sharon takes power.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Netanya bombing, in which an 84-year-old man, his niece and a 70-year-old woman were killed and at least 68 people wounded.

An Israeli mob beat up and seriously injured a Palestinian man near the scene of the bombing.

Police arrested one person and were hunting for three others involved in the attempted lynching.

Sharon called on Israelis to be extra cautious, to show restraint and not to take the law into their own hands.

In Washington, the United States State Department condemned the bombing and called on Israel and the Palestinians to renew security ties and try to settle their differences peacefully.

Sharon has vowed to quash the revolt before carrying through on a pre-election promise to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

- REUTERS

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