Israeli killed in shooting ambush in the West Bank
An Israeli motorist was killed in a shooting ambush in the West Bank today, as Israeli and Palestinian security commanders prepared for talks on the implementation of a US-sponsored ceasefire plan.
It was not immediately clear how the attack would affect truce efforts, which have withstood several fatal shootings in the past week.
Today’s attack took place near the Jewish settlement of Shavei Shomron.
Yeruham Mandola, spokesman for the rescue services, said one motorist was killed and a second slightly hurt.
Earlier today, two bombs were discovered and safely detonated in the coastal city of Haifa, police said. A cellular phone on one device attached to a motorcycle was intended to set it off, police spokesman Yehuda Maaman said.
At a meeting set for this evening, security chiefs planned to meet to go over the next phases of a truce plan that was presented to the sides earlier this month by CIA director George Tenet in efforts to end nine months of violence.
Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian security chief in the West Bank, said a CIA agent would attend the Monday meeting.
The cooperation was renewed despite the killing on Sunday of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy at the Khan Younis refugee camp.
Palestinians said the boy was shot by Israeli soldiers. The army said troops shot at Palestinians scaling a fence into a Jewish settlement.
Two bomb attacks injured one Israeli slightly earlier in the day.
Since fighting erupted on September 28, 493 people have been killed on the Palestinian side and 112 on the Israeli side.
