Sharon condemns stoning to death of boys

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has condemned the stoning to death of two boys on the West Bank.

The bodies of two 14 year-old Israeli boys believed to have been killed by Palestinians have been found in a cave near Bethlehem.

The boys were from Gush Etzion in the Jewish settlement of Tekoa, south east of Bethlehem.

Mr Sharon said the "heinous murder constitutes an additional escalation in Palestinian terror and violence against innocent civilians".

Mr Sharon has held the Palestinian Authority ultimately responsible, saying it must halt terror and "venomous incitement to murder against Israelis and Jews".

One of the boys was a new immigrant from the United States, said Menachem Froman, the rabbi of the Tekoah settlement. Police did not release the names of the victims.

They left their homes on Tuesday for a walk in the desert in Judea it was reported.

One body was discovered at the entrance of the Haritoun cave and the second further within, according to Israel Radio.

There has been no immediate Palestinian comment.