Middle East peacemaking was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday after Israel suspended negotiations with the Palestinians because of the kidnapping and murder of two Israelis in the West Bank.
"The prime minister (Ehud Barak) instructed the Israeli delegation in Taba to return immediately for consultations in Jerusalem," a statement from his office, quoted by Haaretz newspaper, said, describing the killings as "horrendous."
"During those consultations there will be no contacts of any kind at the various levels (with the Palestinians)," the statement said.
Haaretz identified the two Israelis as Motti Dayan, 29, and Etgar Zeituni, 34.
It added that they were cousins who own a restaurant "Yuppies" in Tel Aviv.
Police investigating the murder said the two went to Tulkarm with an Arab Israeli friend from Baka al-Garbiyeh.
Fuad Mohammed owns the produce store from which Yuppies gets its fruit and vegetables.
The three planned to do some shopping in Tulkarm, taking advantage of the low prices in the territories due to the economic damage caused by the Intifada, the paper said.
After finishing shopping for earthenware jars and flowers at about 4 PM, they stopped to eat at Abu Nidal restaurant in Tulkarm.
While they were there, Haaretz added, a group of masked Palestinians suddenly entered and removed the three Israelis at gunpoint. They put the Israelis into a car and drove northeast, stopping on the border of Area A (Palestinian-controlled territory), between the village of Ikhtaba and the Nur a-Shams refugee camp.
There, they shot the two Israelis in the head at close range, apparently with rifles.
Mohammed was unharmed. The killers then threw both Mohammed and the bodies out of the car and fled, Haaretz added.
Mohammed and the bodies were later found by the Palestinian preventive security service, who then handed them over to the Israel defense forces.
Initially, reports from the Palestinian Authority said the two were soldiers, but once the bodies were returned, it became clear that they were civilians.
Mohammed was handed over to the Shin Bet security service for questioning. Investigators are trying to determine whether he was involved in the murder or an innocent victim.
Meanwhile, Haaretz quoted a statement by the Islamic Resistance Hamas, claiming responsibility for the killing, and said it had filmed the two Israelis being kidnapped and executed.
"The military wing is responsible for the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers, members of Israel's public security service Shin Bet, near Tulkarm," said the statement.
"After kidnapping them, they were filmed and killed."
Security officials told the Jerusalem Post newspaper that while they were investigating this [Hamas] claim, they also received some information appearing to point to Fateh involvement.
Fateh, according to the Post, was responsible for the murders of both Israelis killed last week - Roni Tzalach in Gush Katif and Ophir Rahum in Ramallah.
Meanwhile, AFP said that the Palestinian Authority was swift to condemn the killings.
"Palestinian people, even if they feel rage at Israeli aggression which hurts Palestinians, condemn and reject any activities aimed at civilians on both sides, Israeli or Palestinian," a statement said, adding that the authority would open inquiry into who was responsible.
Even before the talks were suspended, both sides had cast doubt on the prospects for an early peace deal, even though time is running out ahead of a February 6 election for prime minister that Barak is expected to lose to hard-line opposition leader Ariel Sharon, said the agency -- Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
