Arafat to probe kibbutz attack

Members of Avi Ohion's family were shot dead at home

The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has said he will appoint a committee to investigate the attack on a kibbutz in northern Israel in which a gunman killed five people.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an offshoot of Mr Arafat's own Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack on Kibbutz Metzer, saying it was revenge for the army's killing of an Islamic Jihad leader.

A photograph of the slain children on a mural

A mother and her two children aged four and five were among the five people killed in the attack, which comes at a politically sensitive time as Fatah is holding talks with the radical Islamic group, Hamas.

"Israel is going to strike back hard to their murderous attack," an Israeli defence ministry official told army radio as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon discussed the incident with his newly-appointed Defence Minister, Shaul Mofaz.

An adviser to Mr Sharon, Raanan Gissin, said the response would be "within the parameters of the actions we have been taking in the past few months".

After the raid the gunman fled towards the West Bank, about a kilometre (less than a mile) away.

Peace efforts

The attack coincided with a visit by an American envoy who is seeking to revive the stalled peace process.

It took place inside Israel itself, not in one of the controversial settlements in the West Bank, and it targeted a kibbutz which had a history of left-wing politics and co-operation with its Arab neighbours.

The attack also happened at the start of an election campaign, as Israeli politicians vie to appear patriotic and tough on terrorism.

Some politicians are already renewing their call for Mr Arafat's deportation.

The Al-Aqsa statement also said: "We promise there will be more martyrdom attacks until occupation leaves our land and our response to the massacres of Sharon and his Nazi government will be tough."

Over the last few weeks, attacks by groups associated with Fatah on civilians inside Israel proper seemed to have stopped, as if in obedience to an unspoken ceasefire.

There was speculation in Israel that Fatah was meeting Hamas in Cairo to urge them to adopt the same policy.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Arafat confirmed that its likely effect on the Cairo meeting was one reason he regarded the kibbutz attack so seriously.