Israeli troops kill top Palestinian fugitive in West Bank shoot-out

ISRAELI troops killed a top Palestinian fugitive and a close accomplice in a West Bank shoot-out yesterday, prompting threats of “unprecedented” revenge by the violent Islamic Jihad group.

The wanted man, Luay Saadi, was the leader of Islamic Jihad’s military wing in the West Bank and was blamed for the deaths of 12 Israelis in a series of attacks in recent months. Saadi, 30, was killed in a hail of bullets as he fired on troops during an attempted escape from a hide-out, an Israeli army commander said.

Also yesterday, an international envoy accused Israel of stalling in talks with the Palestinians on opening a key Gaza border crossing and other issues left unresolved after Israel’s withdrawal from the coastal territory. Envoy James Wolfensohn has pushed for a quick deal, saying it’s crucial for the economic recovery of impoverished Gaza.