Israeli tanks rocket Palestinian town following shootings

Israeli tanks have shelled Palestinian police posts in the West Bank in response to two ambushes of Israeli motorists.

A heavy exchange of fire broke out in Hebron between Palestinians and the Israeli military, after four Israelis were seriously wounded in the earlier attacks near Nablus and Hebron in the West Bank.

Witnesses said Israeli tanks shelled Palestinian buildings, setting one on fire, the heaviest outburst there since a US-sponsored truce took effect a month ago.

Neither side wants the blame for the failing truce. Yet the Palestinian attacks and the heavy Israeli fire made for another tumultuous day, and both sides warned of further escalation.

Departing US Ambassador Martin Indyk said strong international pressure should be placed on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to force him to take additional steps to halt violence carried out by Palestinian militants.

"It is possible to get him to stop the violence, but it requires high-maintenance management," Mr Indyk said in a speech at Tel Aviv University.

"It requires a combination of Israeli restraint, international pressure led by the United States, the threat of terrible consequences if he doesn't, and the promise of a credible political process to redress Palestinian concerns if he does," said Mr Indyk.

The Israeli casualties included a Jewish settler hit in the head and critically wounded outside Hebron, and an infant boy who was wounded by shards of glass in a shooting that injured his parents near Nablus.

Shortly afterward, Israeli tanks rumbled to the outskirts of Nablus, firing more than 10 shells that exploded within seconds of each other, sending white plumes of smoke into the sky.

The shells hit two police checkpoints, one in the north and one in the south of the city, the Palestinians said. Policeman Mohammed Abu Fayyad, 22, who was stationed at the northern checkpoint, was killed, Palestinian police said.