Bomb factory found in West Bank

Israeli and Palestinian officials say they have uncovered a bomb factory belonging to the militant Hamas group in the West Bank town of Nablus.

They say Palestinian security forces, acting on an Israeli tip-off, seized seven hundred kilos of explosives and arrested a number of Hamas activists.

News of the operation came as the Israeli cabinet met to continue discussions on conditions for further troop withdrawals from the occupied West Bank.

In Gaza, the Israelis say a gunman escaped after opening fire on an Israeli patrol.

Israeli security forces have been on high alert for several days after intelligence reports of a possible suicide bomb attack before the Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, meets President Clinton next week for talks.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service