Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at an Israeli bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem today. At least ten people were wounded, six seriously. Israeli police shot and critically wounded one of the men.
A group linked to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement claimed responsibility. The incident follows an earlier attack in which Palestinian gunmen killed two Israelis and wounded two others in a shooting on a West Bank road near Bethlehem. Israeli security sources said that the gunmen opened fire on an Israeli civilian convoy travelling between Jewish settlements.
Earlier today, two Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli troops in separate incidents. Mohammed Hayek was killed at a roadblock near Nablus. The 22-year-old's pregnant wife and father were also injured. It is reported that they had been travelling to hospital where she was to give birth.
Elsewhere, a Palestinian woman was killed at a roadblock near Tulkarem after she tried to stab Israeli troops. This came just hours after Israel decided to relax its blockade of the Palestinian leader. The European Union's Foreign Policy chief, Javier Solana, said that Mr Arafat should have total freedom of movement as soon as possible.
Although Mr Arafat will be able to leave his compound, he will still not be allowed to travel outside Ramallah. The Palestinians say they regard the concession as insulting. Mr Solana is on a five-day tour of the Middle East which will also include visits to the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Jordan.
