The latest Hamas suicide bomber struck with deadly accuracy in northern Israel yesterday - not only at Israeli civilians and military, 16 of whom were murdered - but at the latest efforts to muster a peace process bringing together Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
Mr Yasser Arafat spent the previous day with the CIA director, Mr George Tenet, trying to convince him that planned reforms in the Palestinian security apparatus would enable more effective action to be taken against suicide bombers. A more graphic illustration of the necessity for such a reform and the vacuum at the centre of the Palestinian Authority which prevents it happening, can hardly be imagined. Israeli government spokesmen vowed to seek out those responsible, as tanks rolled back into Jenin. The Americans are undecided on whether to continue supporting Mr Arafat or to swing away from him, as is urged by the Israeli prime minister, Mr Sharon. This attack will bolster Mr Sharon's case when he meets President Bush in Washington next Monday.
The US administration is also divided on whether to pursue a revival of the peace process actively in coming weeks and months. Such suicide attacks are intended precisely to prevent that happening. Mr Arafat has been arguing internationally that he is an indispensable Palestinian partner in a peace process, at the same time as he seeks to respond to demands for great democracy and accountability in the Palestinian Authority. That would imply incorporating some of the Islamist movements into his administration; but yesterday's attack strikes a mortal blow at any such ambition.
Reports that the Islamist leaders responsible for the atrocity have been ordered to be arrested were greeted with customary scepticism by Israeli officials, who have long despaired of effective action from Mr Arafat. They dismiss suggestions that their destructive assaults on the Palestinian Authority's infrastructure make it impossible for him to deliver on such promises. It is a vicious circle, which those organising the bombings are well able to exploit. The only certainty is that such attacks will continue so long as there is no major political initiative, since a purely military solution is not possible.