Row over Israeli counter-terror head

The supreme court in Israel has temporarily barred a former secret agent, Ehud Yatom, from taking over as the new head of counter-terrorism.

The court will review his role in the killing of two Palestinians seventeen years ago, when Israeli commandos stormed a hijacked bus.

Security officials said two of the Palestinians hijackers were killed immediately, while the other two died of their wounds.

But photographs showed two of the hijackers unharmed after the raid.

A subsequent inquiry led to several secret servicemen resigning, including Mr Yatom.

In 1996, Mr Yatom confessed to having crushed the prisoners' skulls with a rock, although he later retracted his statement.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service