by Gao Lu, Wei Jianhua

    JERUSALEM, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Following a new wave of violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians, no mounting conflict is in sight ahead of an Israeli pullout due in mid-August.    

    Responding to a deadly mortal attack on a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Dan Halutz, new chief of staff of the Israeli army, said the army has not yet planned to avenge the attack.    

    "I would suggest that as a state we should not act like terrorists, ... Overreacting is not a modus operandi," Halutz said.

    Commenting on Halutz's remarks, Khaled Khalefeh, director of the Arab Council for Foreign Relations, told Xinhua, "I don't think the new wave of violence will lead to further escalation, especially at this sensitive moment ahead of the implementation of the disengagement."

    He said the ceasefire, reached during a summit at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in February, is very fragile, and the two sides will show "enough patience and tolerance" to avoid a bloodshed.    

    On Tuesday, a mortar shell hit the Jewish settlement bloc of Gush Katif, killing two Palestinian workers and one Chinese worker.

    The Islamic Jihad (Holy War) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for the killing of one of its commanders during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Jenin.

    Also, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) fired several homemade Qassam rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot on Tuesday in response to threats by Jewish extremists to attack the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine for Muslims.

    In a limited retaliation, an unmanned Israeli drone on Wednesday fired two missiles at three members of al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing. But no casualties were reported.    

    For this, Khalefeh explained that the Israeli government does not want to be involved in conflict with the Palestinians while dealing with the pullout's opponents who want to foment hatred against the Palestinians if violence escalates.

    Israel is expected to pull out forces and settlers from the Gaza Strip and parts of northern West Bank this summer.    

    The Israeli government has been in coordination with the Palestinian National Authority on the pullout, hoping to see a smooth withdrawal. Enditem