41.  Over the years, assassinations have become a larger part of Israeli responses to Palestinian attacks on civilians.

42.  Peres declined to say if he fully supported the military campaign, but he argued that Israel had little alternative after the Palestinian attacks.

43.  Over the last several years, Israel has been the target of Palestinian attacks on civilians, and has responded with heavy force.

44.  Powell first sent him to the region last November and he was greeted with a furious wave of Palestinian attacks and a crushing Israeli response.

45.  Recently, the shooting of two pregnant women just beyond a checkpoint and a Palestinian attack on Israeli soldiers at another have Israelis reconsidering their effectiveness.

46.  Rather, Israeli officials say, they respond to Palestinian attacks on their positions.

47.  Senior military officials called the mission their only alternative to stop Palestinian attacks.

48.  Sharon said Israeli forces would continue to raid Palestinian-controlled territory as long as any threat remained of Palestinian attack.

49.  Sharon said the restrictions would remain in force for now, but Israeli officials warned that if deadly Palestinian attacks continued, the army would resume offensive action.

50.  Shoval conceded that Palestinian attacks have diminished, but credited the drop in violence at least partially to Israeli efforts to foil attacks and arrest militants.