ARABS-ISRAEL - Nov. 29 - Bus Blast Casts Shadow On Peace Moves.

Three Israelis are killed late at night when a Palestinian suicide bomber blows himself up, tearing apart a public bus near the town of Hadera in northern Israel. (This is the first suicide bombing inside Israel since the Sept. 11 attacks in the US. It appears to mark the end of a quiet agreement between the PA leadership and radical Palestinian groups, which have refrained from suicide bombings inside Israel since Sept. 11 and have instead resorted to shooting attacks). The bomber boarded the bus near the Israel Arab town of Umm Al Fahm. Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an unofficial armed wing of Fatah, claimed responsibility. US envoy Zinni was told of the bombing while meeting PA security officials. He "strongly condemned" the bombing, saying: "These vicious terror attacks must stop now if we are to create the environment that leads to peace". The PA leadership swiftly condemned the bombing and pledged to track down those responsible. But PM Sharon said he held Arafat "directly responsible" for intensifying attacks on Israel since the arrival of the US delegation this week. He said: "In the last 48 hours since the visit started we have seven dead and more than 50 wounded. Israel will not conduct any negotiations of any sort before there will be quiet and before Arafat will fight terror". (Sharon spoke as he prepared to leave for the US to meet Pres. Bush. After meeting Egyptian FM Ahmad Maher in Washington, US State Secretary Powell said he expected Zinni to help both sides come up with a timetable "in due course", but added that the US would not impose a plan on the parties. Meanwhile, US State Secretary Powell aide William Burns travelled through the region to sound out Arab leaders. After meeting Egyptian Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, Burns said the US was committed to a "very sustained and serious diplomatic effort" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). But Sharon repeated his demand for a complete cessation of Palestinian violence for a week. He said: "This position will not change, because we agreed on this matter. It is agreed with the United States". (But Powell made no mention of the 7-day demand in his Nov. 19 speech outlining US policy on the conflict - see last week's Recorder, although he endorsed that condition in June. PA officials criticised Sharon's demand as unrealistic, calling it an attempt to sabotage efforts to renew peace negotiations. PA minister Nabil Shaath said: "This is nothing but a ploy to destroy everything we are doing"). Earlier in the day, two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank as their van tried to bypass a checkpoint, and Palestinian gunmen killed an Israeli in a drive-by shooting.