Israel’s prime minister Ariel Sharon has cut all contact with newly-elected Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a startling U-turn, saying he must halt terror attacks if he wanted peace talks.

A woman was killed this morning when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on Israeli motorists on a road in the West Bank. Her husband was injured in the shooting.

Palestinian gunmen opened fire today on Israeli soldiers and civilian cars at an army checkpoint in the West Bank, killing nine people and wounding two seriously, a paramedic on the scene said.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was today setting off on a groundbreaking visit to Iran as part of the effort to underpin the coalition against terrorism being developed following the airliner attacks on America.