Israel launches raids in Nablus and Jenin

Israeli troops and tanks moved into the West Bank towns of Nablus and Jenin early today, hunting for Palestinian militants following a suicide bombing that killed 20 people.

The incursion came shortly after a tense meeting between veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and his prime minister Mahmoud Abbas.

Other Palestinian officials present said the pair yelled at each other as they argued about how to clamp down on the violent militant groups after Tuesday night’s devastating bombing.

Some reports said Abbas had threatened to quit unless Arafat backed him in a crackdown. Under the US-backed road map to peace, Abbas is responsible for tackling the militants.

Israel’s Security Cabinet, meanwhile, decided in principle to resume the practice of “targeted killings” and approved a series of military strikes against Palestinian militants.

Israeli officials said the intensity of those strikes would depend on what action, if any, the Palestinian security forces took against the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

Shots rang out in Jenin, but there were no immediate reports of casualties either there or in Nablus.

Soldiers arrested at least 14 Palestinians in and around Nablus during the night, including a Hamas member caught with a large quantity of explosives, the army and witnesses said.

Six others were arrested in the Jenin area, while in Tulkarem a 16-year-old boy was shot dead by troops, witnesses said. The army said Israeli troops returned fire when fired upon. But Palestinian witnesses said the teenager was unarmed.

Israeli troops regularly storm West Bank towns in search of wanted militants, but the scale of today’s operation was larger than usual.

Nevertheless, security officials said Israel was not planning a call-up of reserves or a massive offensive like operations carried out last year.

Tuesday’s bus bombing in Jerusalem was the deadliest attack since President Bush unveiled the road map plan in May.

Six children aged three months to 15 years were among the dead, and more than 100 people were injured. Hamas claimed responsibility.

Israeli troops blew up the bomber’s home today in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad declared a temporary truce seven weeks ago, but then changed the terms, saying they would avenge killings of Palestinians by Israeli troops.