COUNTDOWN BEGINS FOR ISRAELI REACTION


TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has hours to decide whether to respond to a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed at least 18 Israeli revelers.

Sharon convenes his senior ministers on Sunday to discuss whether and when to attack the Palestinian Authority. Israeli officials dismissed a pledge by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to stop the violence.

Officials said Sharon is giving Arafat no more than several hours until Israel responds. They said Sharon expects Arafat to launch a ceasefire as well as a massive roundup of Palestinian combatants. Sharon discussed the issue on late Saturday with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

But Arafat's aides did not provide any indication of a ceasefire. Arafat's Fatah movement met on late Saturday and called on Palestinians to prepare for an Israeli invasion of PA areas. PA radio urged Palestinians to shut off gas and electricity and store food for what officials termed an impending attack.

Israeli officials acknowledged that the military is preparing for a massive attack. They said the borders with Egypt and Jordan have been sealed and Palestinian workers have been expelled from Israel.

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