Three suicide bombers killed
The apparent suicide bombing, in a bloc of Jewish settlements, occurred after news emerged of secret truce talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and a top Palestinian official. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the car blast. The Israeli sources said the Palestinians drove up to the post and a passenger opened fire at the soldiers before the vehicle exploded. Israel’s president Moshe Katzav yesterday gave Mr Sharon a formal nod to form a coalition government led by his right-wing Likud party, which crushed rivals in a January 28 election. He will have up to 42 days to build a coalition.
Political commentators said Mr Sharon, a 74-year-old former general, could go slow, awaiting a possible US war on Iraq that could draw Iraqi missile attacks against Israel and bolster his call for a broad government.
