Israel refuses to return Palestinian bodies

Israel is refusing to return the bodies of Palestinians killed during a month-old surge of violence unless the Palestinian side agrees to keep the funerals “modest”, the Israeli defence minister said yesterday.

Yesterday, a Palestinian tried to stab an Israeli soldier during disturbances near Hebron, in the occupied West Bank and was shot dead, the army said. Some reports disputed this, saying the Palestinian was stone throwing.

Later in the afternoon a driver rammed three Israeli paramilitary border policemen with his car before fleeing the scene, police said. The three, whose lives were not thought to be in danger, were taken to hospital and forces mounted a search for the driver.