17 January 2005	Monday	06 Zilhaj 1425

AL QUDS, Jan 16: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday gave his army orders to crush militants in the Gaza Strip as the Palestine Liberation Organisation called for an end to attacks that "harm the national interest".

"The current situation is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue," Sharon said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting as he accused new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas of doing nothing to stop the attacks.

"The Tsahal (army) and the security forces have received orders to operate without any limits on time or their modus operandi to act against the terrorist organisations. "These instructions will remain valid as long as the Palestinians fail to lift even a single finger" against the armed factions, he added.

The order is further proof that Sharon has already lost his patience with Abbas, who was only sworn in as Palestinian leader on Saturday, over his failure to bring factions such as radical Islamist movement Hamas to heel.

He has already ordered a freeze to all contacts with the Palestinian Authority in the aftermath of an attack on a border crossing between Gaza and Israel which left six Israelis dead.

The executive committee of the PLO, which is led by Mr Abbas, said on Sunday that attacks which gave Israel an "excuse" to block progress in the peace process had to stop.

"The committee gave its full support to Abu Mazen's (Abbas's) inauguration speech to stop all military acts that harm our national interest," said a statement after the decision-making body met in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Such attacks merely "give an excuse to the Israeli position which is aimed at sabotaging Palestinian stability and the implementation of the roadmap," the committee added in reference to a troubled Middle East peace plan.

In his inauguration speech on Saturday, Mr Abbas denounced militant attacks for undermining the atmosphere needed for a "credible, serious peace process" but he stopped short of announcing how he intended to halt the attacks.

Israeli Interior Minister Ophir Pines, who joined Sharon's new coalition last week, said it was time for Abbas to take firm action against the men of violence.

"Abu Mazen has clearly said that he is opposed to terrorism but now his words must be translated into action," said Pines. "He must prove his determination to confront the terrorists."

Mr Abbas was due to travel to Gaza on Wednesday for talks with the factions aimed at reaching an agreement on a cease fire, foreign minister Nabil Shaath said as he criticised the new orders for the army from Sharon. -AFP