West Bank violence flares

The shootings provoked outrage among Jewish settlers

Israeli tanks have shelled Palestinian positions in the West Bank town of Nablus, killing a Palestinian policeman.

We have to do what is necessary. It is a matter of self-defence

Dan Seaman
Israeli spokesman

The Israeli action came after four Jewish settlers, including a baby girl, were wounded in two separate shooting incidents in the West Bank.

The Palestinian shootings and the heavy Israeli fire marked a further escalation in the fighting that has persisted despite a US-backed ceasefire declared a month ago.

The Israeli Government is responsible for this dangerous escalation

Nabil Abu Rudeina
Palestinian spokesman

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, flying to Italy for a two-day visit, condemned the Palestinian attacks as "terrible" and said Israel would have to step up its efforts to combat such assaults.

Thursday's violence began when a Jewish settler couple and their young daughter were wounded in a drive-by shooting south of Palestinian-ruled Nablus.

The man, Erez Shmulyan, was struck by a bullet in the head while his wife, Ilana, and year-old daughter were hit by flying glass.

Anger

In a separate incident, an Israeli motorist was critically wounded in an ambush near the Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba, next to the Palestinian town of Hebron.

Hearing the news, settlers attacked Palestinians in Hebron, smashing car windows and burning olive groves.

The Israeli army's response was swift and lethal

Israeli Government spokesman Dan Seaman said the army shelling was also in response to Thursday's attacks.

"We have to do what is necessary. It is a matter of self-defence," he said

The Israeli army also seized control of a hill that overlooks Nablus and the Jewish settlement of Har Bracha, where the family lives.

"It is temporary only," a military official said.

Escalation

But Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina hit out at the Israeli Government for what he called "this dangerous escalation".

Olive groves were burned by settlers as news of the shootings spread

"We demand all the international community and especially the United States to move very quickly to stop this dangerous situation," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made his own appeal to the international community, calling for pressure to be increased on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to take real steps to end political violence in the region.

Mr Sharon, who is visiting Italy as part of his efforts to garner European support for his hardline stance against the Palestinians, said: "There will be no peace if there is terrorism and there will be no negotiations if violence continues."

The Israeli shelling killed a Palestinian policeman, identified as Mohammed Abu Fayyad, 22, who was stationed at the northern checkpoint in Nablus.

Four other officers and a 12-year-old boy were wounded in the same attack, Palestinian police said.

Earlier on Thursday, two Palestinians were slightly injured as they were driving near the settlement of Kiryat Arba, while a third Palestinian was wounded in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers overnight.

'Legitimate targets'

The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has been calling for a halt to the violence in a bid to re-start the peace process.

A young Palestinian girl was among those caught up in Thursday's violence

But BBC Middle East correspondent Frank Gardner says most Palestinian militants consider Jewish settlers to be legitimate targets and are determined to drive them out.

More than 30 people have been killed since a ceasefire was brokered by the United States a month ago.

A meeting on Wednesday night between senior Israeli and Palestinian security officials broke down amid mutual recriminations, with both sides accusing the other of violating the truce.