The Israeli Prime Minister has ruled out a return to the negotiating table with Palestinians until total calm has returned. Ariel Sharon was speaking in Rome after meeting the Chief Rabbi of the city. Earlier, Israeli tanks bombarded the West Bank city of Hebron, injuring 17 people. The pre-dawn raid followed the killing of a Jewish settler last night in a Palestinian ambush south of Jerusalem.
In a separate incident, a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli troops in the north of the Gaza Strip this morning. An army spokesman said that the man was preparing to throw a grenade at an Israeli patrol when he was shot. The deaths bring to 33 the number of people killed since the two sides declared a ceasefire a month ago.
