Kofi Annan, Greatly distressed at violence
Fresh violence has broken out in Beit Jala following Israel's announcement that it would pull out of the West Bank town. The Israeli move is conditional on Palestinian agreement to stop firing on an Israeli settlement.
Israeli officials announced that their forces would withdraw if Palestinian gunmen stopped targeting nearby Gilo with gunfire and mortar bombs. However, shortly after Israeli officials confirmed reports of a ceasefire, there was further shooting in the direction of the settlement.
A member of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's elite Force 17 is reported to have died in the West Bank. Fifteen Palestinians, including children, were shot and wounded by Israeli gunfire in the city of Hebron.
The UN Secretary General has called on Israel to withdraw all troops from Palestinian territories. Kofi Annan also called for an end to its targeted killings of Palestinian figures. He said that he was "greatly dismayed" at the escalating violence in the Middle East.
Earlier, A US State Department spokesman said that the Israelis needed to understand that incursions like this will not solve the security problems. Richard Boucher added that Palestinians must stop shooting at Israelis in Gilo and elsewhere.
An Israeli man was shot dead near the city of Nablus in the West Bank. Reports say that the man was driving a truck when he was ambushed. He was the fourth victim of violence in the region since last night.
Israeli troops shot two Palestinians dead in the West Bank and Gaza overnight. A Palestinian policeman was killed during as incursion into the West Bank area of Rafah.
Palestinian officials said that the move included a tank thrust several kilometres into Palestinian-ruled territory and the destruction of several security positions.
Israeli police say that unidentified gunmen shot a Palestinian motorist dead in an attack near another Jewish settlement. The Israeli police chief in the West Bank said that Jewish gunmen probably carried out the attack.
