Israeli army to collect and bury dead Palestinians

Israeli troops are planning to bury Palestinians killed in a refugee camp in the northern city of Jenin.

Palestinians say Israel massacred people in the camp and used a bulldozer to push the bodies into a mass grave - charges vehemently denied by Israel.

They claim the military is trying to hide the scope and the nature of the deaths in the Jenin camp.

In an interview with Israel Radio, army spokesman Brigadier General Ron Kitrey repeated Israel's denial of a mass burial and a massacre.

He also said that efforts to collect and bury the bodies would begin on Friday.

Another senior army official said the bodies would be buried at a special cemetery in the Jordan Valley. The Israelis have also used the cemetery to bury Lebanese fighters killed in cross-boarder clashes.

Jenin was the scene of the deadliest fighting since Israel began its two-week hunt for terrorists in the West Bank.

The unnamed army official said: "We made it clear to the Palestinians that if they don't bury their dead, we will be forced to bury them ourselves to prevent disease and guard the respect for the dead."

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Friday that two infantry companies and members of the military rabbinate would go to the Jenin camp to collect the bodies.

Those identified as civilians would be moved to a hospital in Jenin and then be buried, the paper said, quoting unidentified military sources.