ISRAEL Army to target militants

The suicide bombing came after a relatively calm period.
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel will target and kill Palestinian militants in retaliation for a suicide bombing that killed four Israelis, senior security sources said today. Leaders of Hamas, however, will be exempt from such strikes because the group has halted its attacks, the sources said.
Thursday's suicide bombing came minutes after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three Islamic Jihad militants and two civilians. The violence came after a relatively calm period and threatened tentative steps to renew peace talks.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and his top commanders decided today to target militants from Islamic Jihad and the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine -- the group that claimed responsibility for Thursday's bombing, said security sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Killed militant leaders
Since the start of fighting in September 2000, Israel has routinely hunted down and killed militant leaders -- often in a manner similar to Thursday's helicopter airstrike, which killed the top Islamic Jihad leader in the Gaza Strip. Today's decision signaled Israel could step up such attacks.
Israel's military chief, Maj. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, said in an interview published today that Hamas -- which has been responsible for most suicide bombings and been the prime target of Israeli strikes -- had halted attacks inside Israel in response to Israeli attacks on its leaders.
"It is no coincidence that a group like Hamas decides to stop attacks within Israel, it comes from the realization that their organization is in danger," Yaalon told the Yediot Ahronot newspaper.
Because of Hamas' decision, Israel will not strike the group, the security sources said.
Hamas officials were not available to comment today.
Also today, Israeli soldiers shot at a crowd of about 200 Israelis, Palestinians and foreigners demonstrating against a security barrier Israel is building to separate the West Bank and Israel, wounding two protesters.
Rescue workers said an Israeli protester was moderately wounded by gunfire, and a foreigner was lightly wounded by a rubber-coated bullet.
The army said the two protesters were damaging the fence, and that it had opened fire only after warning shots failed to get them off the structure.
Israel says the barrier is meant to block suicide bombers, but its route dips deep into the West Bank, infuriating Palestinians and drawing U.S. criticism.
Funerals
In Gaza, tens of thousands of Palestinians attended the funerals of the five people killed in Thursday's airstrike.
"Our message to [Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon ... prepare coffins for your people because our earthshaking reprisals are on the way," an armed militant shouted to mourners at the funeral of Mekled Hameid, 39, a top Islamic Jihad commander in the Gaza Strip.
In the Tel Aviv suburb of Kfar Saba, friends and family of Cpl. Angelina Shcherov read the Kaddish, the Jewish prayer of mourning, under palm trees as they laid her to rest. The other Israeli victims were also buried today.
On Thursday, Palestinian officials condemned both attacks and called for renewed peace talks. Israeli leaders said the suicide bombing proved why such airstrikes are needed.
Yaalon told Yediot that a cease-fire with the Palestinians could be just weeks away, possibly making 2004 the quietest year since fighting erupted three years ago.