Day of violence in Mid-East

Jerusalem suffered two bomb attacks in six hours

Israel and the Palestinian territories were plunged into a day of heightened violence on Tuesday.

Two bombs exploded in Jerusalem, killing the bomber and the injuring 30 others.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that the attacks were carried out by forces under the command of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Everybody in this country is under the direct attack of Mr Arafat and we have to do something about that

Public Security Minister Uzi Landau

During clashes near the West Bank village of Dura, an 11-year-old Palestinian boy was shot dead by Israeli troops.

One report said the boy had been watching Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunman exchange fire when he was hit in the chest.

Thousands of Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers near the Gaza Strip's main city, Khan Younis.

Tuesday's events came at a time when tension was already running high following the killing of an Israeli baby at a Jewish settlement in Hebron.

Washington has appealed for an end to the upsurge in violence and called on the Israelis and Palestinians to resume direct talks on finding a way to resume the stalled peace process.

In the background to the increased violence, Arab leaders gathered in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The summit is expected to condemn the Israeli blockade of Palestinian areas and call for a revival of the Arab boycott to force Israel's new government to return to peace talks.

Blaming Arafat

Mr Sharon again accused the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat of supporting the continuing wave of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

"Everybody in this country is under the direct attack of Mr Arafat and we have to do something about that," said Public Security Minister Uzi Landau.

In the Jordanian capital Amman, Palestinian officials blamed Israel for provoking the violence.

"The confrontation is expanding because of the policies announced by Sharon while he is launching an all-out war against the Palestinian people," Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said.

Bombs

The two bombs exploded in Jerusalem within six hours of each other.

Bombs since February election

4 March: Four killed in Netanya

1 March: One killed and nine wounded in Tel Aviv

8 February: Two car bomb explosions in west Jerusalem. No one dies

A suicide bomber is believed to have had explosives strapped to his body which were detonated next to a bus in French Hill, Jewish district of Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem.

Earlier, a car bomb exploded near a shopping mall in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Talpiot, injuring three people during the morning rush hour.

The militant Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad, said it carried out the earlier blast.

The bombers got through despite a tight security clampdown

A BBC correspondent in Jerusalem says Israelis will be concerned that the government's security crackdown has failed to stop the attacks happening.

More than 400 people have been killed since the uprising began, nearly 350 of them Palestinian, including dozens of children. More than 60 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have died.

Hebron

The Israeli army on Tuesday imposed a complete blockade around Hebron in the West Bank following the killing of 10-month-old Shalhevet Hass in a Jewish settlement in the city on Monday.

The Hass family

Israeli officials said the baby was killed by Palestinian gunfire. The Israeli army shelled the Abu Sneinah district of the Hebron, believed to be the source of the gunfire, on Monday night.

Palestinian officials have said there is no proof that Palestinians were behind the shooting.

Settler leaders called on the Israel army to re-occupy the Abu Sneinah area and criticised Mr Sharon for continuing a policy of restraint in responding to Palestinian violence.