Blast kills Palestinian militant

Three Palestinians, including a senior militant, have been killed in a car explosion near the West Bank town of Bethlehem, hospital sources say.

Atef Abayat, the Bethlehem military leader of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, was wanted by Israel, who says he commanded attacks on its citizens.

The blast came a day after Israel promised retribution for the assassination of its tourism minister, Rehavam Zeevi, by Palestinian militants in a Jerusalem hotel.

Zeevi, the first Israeli elected official to be killed by Palestinians since the creation of the Jewish state, was buried in an emotional ceremony attended by hundreds on Thursday.

Israel confirmed that Abayat was on its list of wanted men.

The BBC's Barbara Plett in Jerusalem says he had been detained by Mr Arafat's security forces, but was later released.

Palestinian official Marwan Barghouti said he held Israel responsible for Abayat's death.