The question is apparently no longer whether, but when, Hamas will begin its threatened attacks on Israel, to avenge the death of bomb-maker Muhi a-Din a-Sharif.
A Hamas spokesman told a memorial rally for Sharif in Gaza yesterday that the movement's "military wing" had received its operational orders. The latest Hamas leaflet warns of "a new circle of war. . .worldwide", an "unprecedented" assault on Zionist targets.
Israel's police chief in Jerusalem, Mr Yair Yitzhaki, asserted yesterday that his force was braced for "all eventualities". But Israelis have learned from bitter experience that there is no guaranteed defence against suicide bombers. The huge number of soldiers and policemen now being deployed at shopping centres and bus stations may deter a potential bomber, but not thwart him.
In spring 1996 Hamas suicide bombers sent out to avenge the assassination by Israel of Sharif's predecessor, Yihya Ayash, carried out their four "missions" in the space of eight days, despite the highest possible Israeli security alert. When the fourth of the bombers saw security personnel deployed at the entrance to the shopping mall where he had been ordered to stage his attack, he simply blew himself up at the pedestrian crossing outside, and still killed a dozen Israelis.
Desperate to prevent the now seemingly inevitable, Israel's Shin Bet intelligence chief met Mr Yasser Arafat to urge the Palestinian Authority to crack down on Hamas, and to stop circulating the allegation, denied by Israel, that Sharif, found dead in Ramallah last Sunday at the site of a mysterious explosion, was assassinated by the Israelis.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, also called on the Palestinian Authority to "stop spreading baseless allegations," and has reportedly warned Mr Arafat that he will hold the authority responsible for any bombings, and that such attacks would further complicate talks on future Israeli territorial concessions in the West Bank.
In response, Palestinian police sources have now begun speaking about the possibility that Sharif was killed by a Palestinian - perhaps a collaborator with Israel - rather than by the Israelis. And Palestinian Authority officials have held talks with Hamas leaders, to tell them, in the words of the authority peace negotiator, Mr Saeb Erekat, that "we don't want to see any violence or terrorist acts."
But Hamas, enjoying a surge in popularity among Palestinians frustrated by the deadlock in peace efforts, is in no mood to listen to the pleadings of Mr Arafat's aides.
A memorial march for Sharif in Nablus yesterday developed into a virtual anti-Arafat demonstration, with about 5,000 participants making their way to the authority's jail in the city, to demand the release of several dozen Hamas activists. In another protest, north of Jerusalem, Palestinians stoned an Israeli car, leaving one occupant unconscious and in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the family of the assassinated Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, has bitterly condemned a former Israeli chief rabbi's reported comments to the effect that the assassin, Yigal Amir, could be pardoned under certain circumstances. The comments were reportedly made by Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu in a newspaper interview.