Prayer mat assassin guns down two Israelis

A Palestinian gunman, his rifle wrapped in a prayer mat, walked to a West Bank checkpoint and killed two Israelis at close range today, just a day after both sides hinted at progress towards a truce and a quick Israel-Palestinian summit.

In the Gaza Strip, troops raided a refugee camp, setting off a gun battle that wounded nine Palestinians, one critically.

It was not clear whether the renewed fighting would jeopardise Egyptian-led truce efforts.

Egypt proposes that Israel halt military operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and that Palestinian militant groups stop attacks on Israelis.

In the past, Israel has rejected such proposals, saying it would only stop military strikes if Palestinian security forces crack down on armed groups.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would meet his Palestinian counterpart, Ahmed Qureia, “in the coming days.” It would be their first summit meeting since Qureia, widely known as Abu Ala, took office more than a month ago.

In today’s shooting, a Palestinian attacker, his rifle wrapped in a prayer mat, walked toward a West Bank checkpoint and opened fire, killed one Israeli and critically wounding a second who died en route to the hospital.

Soldiers fired at the attacker who sped away in a get-away car, security officials said.

Israeli Justice Minister Tommy Lapid said a truce would only work if the Palestinian security forces were serious about stopping such attacks.

“We want to give Abu Ala credit if he is honest about stopping attacks,” Lapid told Israel Army Radio. “What happened this morning places doubt on this honesty … Right now it looks like talks about a cease-fire are premature.”

The shooting was the first deadly attack on Israelis since October 24 when Palestinians killed three soldiers guarding a Gaza settlement. During the same period, 25 Palestinians were killed by troops, including armed men, but also eight minors.

Israel had pulled troops out of the town of Bethlehem and nearby Palestinian villages south of Jerusalem in July as part of a previous ceasefire agreement. It was not immediately clear if troops would now re-enter those area.

In Gaza, 25 Israeli tanks drove into the Rafah refugee camp before dawn, firing as they advanced and drawing return fire from local gunmen, said a resident, Ahmed Abu Gezer.

Troops demolished two houses, including one belonging to a man whose 14-year-old son was killed by army fire 10 days ago, residents said.

Truce efforts intensified yesterday, with a visit by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman who said he had received positive signals from Israeli officials.

An aide to Suleiman was to meet with leaders of the militant groups in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Qureia may hold separate talks with the faction chiefs in Gaza on the same day, Palestinian officials said.

Qureia has said he wants to work out the terms of a truce before meeting with Sharon. The Israeli leader met with Qureia’s predecessor, Mahmoud Abbas, four times, but Palestinians complained that there were few concrete results.