15 Palestinians killed as Israel strikes back

Israeli troops today killed 15 Palestinian in reprisal attacks for a Palestinian ambush at a West Bank roadblock which left six Israeli soldiers dead.

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Six soldiers die as Palestinians target checkpoint

Israeli troops today killed 15 Palestinian in reprisal attacks for a Palestinian ambush at a West Bank roadblock which left six Israeli soldiers dead.

The six soldiers were killed at close range last night by militiamen linked to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

Israel's security Cabinet met to decide on the scope of retaliation. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, an advocate of restraint, canceled a trip to Madrid to take part in the meeting.

In a first response to the ambush, Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships attacked Mr Arafat's seaside compound in Gaza City and his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Mr Arafat was unhurst and remained in his Ramallah office, the lights turned off and accompanied by a few close aides, said one of his advisers, Ahmed Abel Rahman.

In all, 15 Palestinians were killed, according to Palestinian officials: four in a missile attack on Mr Arafat's Gaza compound, seven in Israeli shelling of two Palestinian police checkpoints near the West Bank town of Nablus, two in a firefight outside the Balata refugee camp close to Nablus, one in an air strike on a Palestinian police post in Ramallah, and one in a firefight near Ramallah.

Twelve of the dead were Palestinian policemen.

Mr Abdel Rahman said the Palestinians had a right to fight the Israeli occupation, implying support for the ambush on the Israeli soldiers.

"The Palestinian people have a legitimate right to resist, which will not stop without ending the occupation," Mr Abdel Rahman said, adding that the Palestinian Authority remained opposed to attacks in Israel.

The past week has been one of the bloodiest since fighting began in September 2000. Fifteen Israelis were killed, including 11 soldiers, a policeman and three civilians. In the same period, 45 Palestinians have been killed, including nine civilians, 22 members of the security forces and 12 assailants and suspected militants.

The ambush on the soldiers was carried out at about 9 pm last night at an Israeli military checkpoint near the village of Ein Arik, west of Ramallah. The post was manned by eight soldiers who had arrived for a tour of duty just several hours earlier. Israeli media reports said the Palestinian gunmen apparently had carefully watched the checkpoint and were aware of the changeover.

The Al Aqsa Brigades, a Fatah–affiliated militia, claimed responsibility.

Israeli reprisals began around 3 am. In the Gaza Strip, F–16 warplanes bombed a four–storey police compound, sending debris and shrapnel flying in all directions.

For the first time in 17 months, Israel attacked Mr Arafat's seaside compound. Warships fired missiles at the complex, punching holes into one of the walls, shattering windows and killing four security guards.

Along with the four guards who were killed, eight were wounded, two seriously, officials said. About 65 people went to hospitals suffering from shock, doctors said, and three civilians were hurt by shrapnel.

In all, Palestinians counted at least 40 explosions in the Gaza raids.

In the West Bank, Israeli troops fired heavy machine guns and tank shells at two Palestinian police posts near Nablus, Palestinian security officials said. Five policemen were killed in one attack, and one was killed in a second strike.

South of Nablus, Israeli tanks moved close to the Balata refugee camp. Two Palestinians, a civilian and a gunman, were killed in a firefight, doctors said.

In Ramallah, a Palestinian policeman was killed in a missile attack on his compound and a gunman died in a firefight with Israeli troops west of the city.

The Israeli military said Palestinians would be banned from using roads in and out of main West Bank towns.