Israel said Tuesday that it holds the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority responsible for the deadliest suicide bombing in nearly two years and debated whether to target it directly as an "enemy entity" ¡ª even though the attack was carried out by a different militant group.

Irena Shaulov embraces the Israeli flag- wrapped body of her son David, during his funeral in the town of Holon, near Tel Aviv, Tuesday April 18, 2006. David Shaulov, whose wife Radmila is 9-month-pregnant, was killed Monday in a suicide bomb attack outside a packed Tel Aviv fast food restaurant that killed nine civilians and wounded dozens during the Jewish Passover holiday. The 21-year-old bomber, a West Bank university dropout, was sent by the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad group. [AP]

Monday's blast outside a packed Tel Aviv fast-food restaurant killed nine civilians and wounded dozens during the Jewish Passover holiday, and troop reinforcements were deployed across Israel for fear of more attacks. The 21-year-old bomber, a West Bank university dropout, was sent by the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad group.

Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, warned that the Hamas government's verbal support for the bombing, as well as recent statements by Iran and Syria, "are clear declarations of war, and I urge each and every one of you to listen carefully and take them at face value." Gillerman said a new "axis of terror" ¡ª Iran, Syria and the Hamas government ¡ª was sowing the seeds of the first world war of the 21st century.

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert convened key Cabinet ministers and security chiefs Tuesday to discuss a response. One proposal was to hold the Hamas government directly responsible and declare it an "enemy entity," according to an Israeli official close to the consultations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the ministers had not yet made their decision.

Such a declaration could pave the way for direct strikes against the Palestinian Authority and its officials. Until now, an economic and political boycott had been Israel's main tools against the Hamas government.

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