On Monday, three Palestinian gunmen attempted to place a bomb near the Israel-Gaza fence, before Israeli troops spotted them. Later in the day, Gaza militants fired two mortars into the western Negev Desert.
The renewed violence may signal the end of a summer reprieve from Palestinian attacks against Israel. The Obama Administration had hoped to parlay the recent calm into serious Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
Just last week the White House announced that Middle East envoy George Mitchell will finalize steps to prepare for renewed peace talks.
Monday’s attacks underscore doubts about the basis for recent optimism in Washington. Hamas leader Khaled Meshall said recently that his group would continue violence unless Israel allowed millions Palestinians entry into Israel. Similarly, placards vowing armed struggle against Israel were prominent at this month’s Bethlehem Fatah convention
