Israeli Raids May Continue Despite Deaths

JERUSALEM: Reeling from Thursday's triple suicide bombing that left four Israelis dead, and an Hizbollah ambush in Lebanon that took the lives of 11 Israeli crack troops, Israel appears ready to make good on its threats to invade Palestinian-ruled territory to root out Islamic militants.

TIME Jerusalem bureau chief Lisa Beyer notes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the rare move of including military commanders in a routine cabinet meeting last night. The agenda: plans for an impending raid. "Today's official response to the bombing in Jerusalem was very mild, which leads one to wonder if the real response is so far a secret," says Beyer. "I think (a raid) is a real possibility, and it's a signal to Arafat that he could lose everything he's so far gained."

An Israeli foray into Palestinian territory is unlikely before Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrives in the region next week — but with the peace process in tatters and warnings of more bombings, it may just be a matter of time.