Two more Palestinians have been killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Tonight Israeli tanks were reported to have fired a number of rounds at the Palestinian ruled town of Ramallah. Ambulances were rushed to the area but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Earlier today negotiations resumed on the formation of an Israeli emergency government including the outspoken right winger, Ariel Sharon. His Likud Party has ruled out participation without real influence on decision making, but the move has been lambasted by the Palestinians, who say Sharon is unacceptable because of his hawkish views. The Israeli army has said that it is preparing for a long conflict with the Palestinians; today's deaths bring the total in almost a month of fighting to 131- all but eight of them Palestinians or Israeli Arabs.
There was further violence in the region overnight. A Palestinian was killed by a shell fired by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Hebron. Israeli tanks also fired at the Palestinian village of Beit Jala near Bethlehem for the second night running. The attack followed Palestinian gun attacks on a Jerusalem suburb.
Morocco has announced that it is severing diplomatic ties with Israel. It said that the action is being taken because of the failure of the peace process and what it called the inhuman acts perpetrated by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians.
