Monday, October 17 2005 14:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: Israel has decided to suspend all contacts with the Palestinian Authority following a shooting attack, which killed three Jewish settlers in the West Bank, Israeli security sources said today (Oct 17, 2005).

"It has been decided to suspend all coordination contacts with the Palestinians," the sources told sources.

Israeli and Palestinian officials had been due to hold a series of meetings in the coming days to prepare the ground for a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Bom said the attack showed that the Palestinian Authority was doing nothing to rein in militant groups.

Until it did so, Israel would not accept Palestinian demands to take over responsibility for security in parts of the West Bank, he added.

"In the current situation, we cannot move forward with the political process," said Bom.

"I do not think that in this situation we can transfer the towns to the Palestinians. They are not exerting any control."

The former justice minister Yossi Beilin, leader of the left-wing Meretz faction, said the decision to sever contacts and impose restrictions on the Palestinian population would merely play into the hands of militants.

"This is a Pavlovian reaction. Hamas and Islamic Jihad will be rubbing their hands with satisfaction", he said.