Violence escalates in Mideast with more victims

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli aircraft Tuesday pounded targets in Gaza and the West Bank, killing two members of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's elite security force and a Palestinian policeman. Palestinian security sources said the attacks continued into Wednesday morning but there was no immediate confirmation from Israeli officials.

The attacks came after an Israeli mother and her 18-month-old son were injured Tuesday when Palestinians launched their first Qassam missiles across the "Green Line" that separates Israel from the occupied territories.

Other Israeli civilians also were victims Tuesday of Palestinian snipers and bombers as a 17-month cycle of violence continued unabated.

With tensions rising, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon canceled a trip scheduled for next week to England and Spain, his office said late in the day.

In Washington, President Bush welcomed a peace initiative from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has offered to host a summit between Sharon and Arafat -- an offer which so far has not been accepted. (Full story)

Bush expressed concern over the continued bloodshed, but he put the onus on Arafat to break the cycle of violence, saying he must do more to "stop attacks against Israelis."

VIDEO CNN's Ben Wedeman reports thousands turned out in Ramallah for the funeral of six Palestinian civilians killed by Israelis (March 5) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports how seemingly endless violence in the Mideast leads some to question leaders and possibility of peace. (March 5) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION In-Depth: Mideast Struggle for Peace

"It's going to be difficult to achieve any kind of peace so long as there is a cycle of violence," he said.

Mubarak also called for Palestinians to "exert more effort to bring down the level of violence," but said Israel must show restraint against Palestinians, ending "the closure of roads, the siege of towns and villages, the demolition of houses."

Missile assault

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, a missile struck a vehicle containing four Palestinian security officials, killing three. The fourth person was seriously wounded.

Hospital sources identified the dead as Mohannad Abu Halawah and Fawzi Marrar, both members of Arafat's elite Force 17, and Omar Qa'aban, a member of the Palestinian police.

The Israel Defense Forces said the vehicle was targeted because Halawah "has been a member of a military organization since the end of October 2000. This organization is responsible for a large number of murderous attacks carried out against Israeli civilians. Recently he was also involved in planning a number of big attacks."

Palestinian security sources said Halawah was a commander of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militant wing of the Fatah movement; Marrar, they said, also belonged to the organization. Al Aqsa has claimed responsibility for a rash of recent suicide bombings and gun attacks against Israelis, and vowed swift revenge for this attack.

The IDF also said it struck a police academy building in Gaza, a parking lot next to Arafat's Gaza residence and an intelligence building in Bethlehem "as part of the IDF's ongoing battle against terrorism."

Early Wednesday, Palestinian sources said Israeli tanks firing machine guns entered the suburbs of Gaza City from the east. The sources said the Israeli navy fired on a Palestinian navy jeep, wounding four Palestinians in Gaza.

The sources also said Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered Rafah in Gaza.

The IDF had no immediate comment.

Mother, child wounded

Earlier Tuesday, in southern Israel, Qassam rockets fired from a Palestinian area struck the Israeli town of Sderot, wounding an 18-month-old boy and his mother, authorities said. Two rockets hit the town -- the first such strikes within Israel proper.

The Fatah movement, the faction closely aligned with Arafat, threatened last week to fire the rockets into Israel if it did not pull troops out of Palestinian refugee camps. Israel has not, maintaining that the camps are havens for terrorist activities.

The back-and-forth violence Tuesday left six Palestinians and five Israelis dead and others wounded, including seven Palestinian students and a teacher who were hurt in a bomb blast at a school in East Jerusalem.

Among the violent incidents Tuesday:

--A bomber staged an attack on a bus at the central bus station in Afula, according to Israeli police, killing himself and one Israeli.

--A Palestinian gunman shot through the windows of a downtown Tel Aviv restaurant, killing three Israelis and wounding about 30 others before he was shot to death. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said it was responsible for that shooting.

--A Palestinian was killed during an Israeli military raid in Dura, and an Israeli motorist was shot dead south of Bethlehem.

The violence comes amid new peace initiatives floated by Arab leaders. In addition to Mubarak's invitation to Sharon and Arafat to join him at a summit meeting at the southern Sinai town of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah has offered his own Mideast peace plan. It calls for Israel to withdraw from all occupied territories, in accordance with U.N. resolutions.

Meanwhile, Israel's security Cabinet met Tuesday to discuss how to respond to the recent spate of violence against Israelis. Over the weekend, 22 Israelis were killed; Monday, Israeli retaliatory raids at Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza and the West Bank left 16 Palestinians dead.

Sharon's office said the prime minister and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke Tuesday. Sharon told Powell that Israel will take all necessary steps to protect its civilians, his office said.

One U.S. official said the administration is concerned about violence on both sides, but highlighted two events: an Israeli strike Monday that killed a mother and five children, and the bombing Tuesday at the Arab school in East Jerusalem.

"Our eyes are on both sides this time, not just on the Palestinians, and that is unique," the official said. "Usually, they are squarely on Arafat."

In his news conference with Mubarak, Bush said the United States is considering sending special Mideast envoy Anthony Zinni back to the region, but not immediately.

"We stand ready to return Gen. Zinni to the region when appropriate," Bush said.

The United States also welcomes the Saudi peace plan, said Bush, who stopped short of fully endorsing it.

"We're willing to work with all our friends in the region to see how we can build on the vision for peace recently advanced by Crown Prince Abdullah," Bush said.