Nine die in Israeli attack on Hebron

Nine Palestinians were killed today as Israeli tanks and helicopter gunships pummelled the West Bank city of Hebron.

The assault came just hours after Israel’s Cabinet reluctantly agreed to a US proposal to free besieged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Israel agreed on the understanding that Washington would back Israel in an increasingly tense showdown with the UN over a fact-finding mission to the Jenin refugee camp, government officials said.

At another flash-point, Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, a Palestinian gunman was killed by an Israeli sniper today when he walked into a courtyard, the military said.

The army had said the gunman fired first, but later withdrew that report.

The church, built over the traditional birthplace of Christ, has been under Israeli siege for a month, with more than 200 gunmen holed up inside.

Israeli forces entered the West Bank city of Hebron at about 4:30am, with tanks and armoured cars driving in from all directions.

Nine Palestinians, including six civilians, were killed by Israeli fire, Palestinian witnesses said.

In the bloodiest incident, a missile fired by an Israeli helicopter hit a house, killing a gunman and four civilians.

Two more civilians who rushed to the scene were killed by helicopter fire, witnesses said.

Troops arrested several suspected militants, including three leading members of the Islamic militant group Hamas, and found suitcases filled with explosives, said army spokesman Brigadier General Ron Kitrey.

The incursion came in apparent retaliation for a weekend attack on the nearby Jewish settlement of Adora, in which four Israelis, including a five-year-old girl, were killed. Hamas claimed responsibility for that attack.

Kitrey said the military would try to wrap up the mission as quickly as possible. ‘‘We have no interest in staying there,’’ he said.

The US has repeatedly called on Israel to withdraw forces from Palestinian towns, but standoffs between Israeli troops and wanted Palestinians in Bethlehem and at Arafat’s headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah have held up a withdrawal.

Arafat’s confinement appeared to be drawing to a close after Israel agreed to a US proposal for six wanted men in the compound - the four killers of hard-line Israeli Cabinet Minister Rehavam Zeevi, the leader of their political faction and an Arafat aide suspected of arms smuggling.

The six would be transferred to a Palestinian jail in the West Bank town of Jericho where they would be guarded by British and US wardens.

Later today, a group of British and US experts is due to meet Arafat to make the arrangements for moving the six prisoners.

Once the six have left Arafat’s headquarters, the Palestinian leader will be free to move in the West Bank and Gaza, but will not be able to go abroad.

Israeli officials today confirmed there was a link between Arafat’s release and the UN fact-finding mission to Jenin.

‘‘I assume that some sort of agreement was reached, some sort of deal, according to which (Israeli Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon gave up on his insistence that Arafat be isolated in his headquarters ... and at this stage, we win US backing concerning our reservations on the issue of the UN committee,’’ said Israel’s deputy defence minister, Dalia Rabin-Pelossof.