Challenge to Israel's 'assassination policy'

Israeli and Palestinian human rights activists have launched a challenge in the High Court to Israel's policy of so-called targeted killings of suspected Palestinian militants.

The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel and the Palestinian rights group, LAW, said the policy was blatantly illegal and all those involved in it were clearly breaking normal standards of international justice - and possibly even committing war crimes.

The activists called on the court to order the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, as well as the defence minister and the head of the army, to stop the killings.

No date has been set for a hearing.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service