TEL AVIV, Jan 17: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed on Thursday to wage a “war” to stop Gaza militants firing rockets into Israel, despite warnings by Palestinian leaders that Israeli military strikes would harm peacemaking.

In the latest bloodshed in a surge of violence that began after US President George Bush ended a visit last week to spur talks on Palestinian statehood, an Israeli air strike on a car in the Gaza Strip killed a militant and his wife.

Militants in the Hamas-controlled territory have fired some 70 rockets at southern Israel in the past two days.

“A war is going on in the south, every day, every night,” Olmert said in a speech.

“We cannot and will not tolerate this unceasing fire at Israeli citizens ... so we will continue to operate, with wisdom and daring, with the maximum precision that will enable us to hit those who want to attack us,” Olmert said, minutes after the air strike.

“The most daring and boldest of our soldiers and members of the security services are taking part ... This war will not stop,” the prime minister said, predicting Israeli military pressure would “tip the scales” and force a halt to rocket fire.

Olmert, saying Israel wanted to avoid harming Palestinian civilians, gave no indication he might order a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip, an assault Israeli officials have cautioned could cause heavy casualties on both sides.

Abbas’s Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) issued a terse statement condemning Israeli military actions in Gaza and warning of “serious consequences” for the peace talks.

Olmert said he remained committed to moving forward in peace talks “without hesitation”. But he was vague on a timeframe for a full treaty, saying he hoped within a year to negotiate “understandings” with the Palestinian Authority that would lead to a final agreement.

“It is too late for the enemy to try to stop our rockets, we have hundreds of rockets and they are ready to be fired at the Zionist settlements near Gaza Strip,” a PRC spokesman said after the Israeli air strike on Thursday.—Reuters