Israel braced for more violence

Demonstrators engage with Israelis on Sunday

The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has blamed the Palestinian Authority for four days of clashes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in which at least 37 people have died.

Speaking to Israeli Radio on Monday, Mr Barak said the authority had failed to restrain Palestinian police who have fought fierce gun battles with Israeli soldiers. He called on them to take responsibility for stopping the fighting "immediately".

All of this has drowned the political process with blood

Palestinian Minister Yasser Abd-Rabbuh,

Almost all of the dead have been Palestinians, although two Israeli soldiers have been killed in the violence which erupted after Israeli right-winger Ariel Sharon visited a site in Jerusalem sacred to both Jews and Muslims.

On Monday a man was shot dead on a road near the West Bank town of Bidiya. He has not yet been identified.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has urged the Israelis to "stop shooting our soldiers, our old people, our youths, our women".

The clashes the worst for four years

Escalating clashes on Sunday spilled for the first time out of Palestinian controlled areas into Israel itself: one man was shot dead as Israeli Arabs demonstrated their support for the Palestinians near the town of Umm el-Fahm.

But the worst clashes were on the West Bank. Five people were killed in gun battles in Ramallah, including a 13-year-old boy. Another three - including a seven-year-old boy - died in Nablus.

BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Adams says the violence is reminiscent of the days of the Palestinian Intifada, but much more brutal. He says the funerals of the five killed in Ramallah are likely to cause more violence on Monday.

US President Clinton appealed to both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders over the weekend to bring an end to the violence.

A White House spokesman said on Sunday Mr Clinton had gained agreement from Mr Barak and Mr Arafat to support a US-led inquiry into the violence once calm had been restored.

Casualties

During fighting in Nablus, an Israeli border guard received wounds from which he later died.

In the Gaza Strip, where there has been a series of gun battles between the two sides, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy died from bullet wounds.

Violent days

Wednesday

Gaza bomb kills Israeli soldier

Thursday

Clashes erupt after Sharon visits Al-Aqsa
Second bomb in Gaza

Friday

Palestinian soldier kills Israeli on joint patrol
Second day of Al-Aqsa clashes - six Palestinians killed

Saturday

16 die in clashes in West Bank and Gaza

Sunday

At least 11 die in further clashes, including an Israeli border guard and - in Israel - an Israeli Arab protester

Many more people have been injured.

In a sign that the conflict was escalating, the Israeli army fired anti-tank missiles, threw grenades and shot from helicopters.

The violence in Gaza erupted after the funerals of two Palestinians who died in Saturday's clashes.

The clashes are being described as the worst between the two sides for four years.

Earlier, there were signs that the Palestinian authorities were trying to restrain Palestinian demonstrators.

Our correspondent says the Palestinian authorities may want to temper the violence, but may not be able to control the people's anger.