Israeli soldiers kill four Palestinians in Gaza clash

Palestinians said soldiers opened fire on two Palestinian civilian cars travelling by the Morag settlement near Rafiah on the Gaza- Egyptian border.

The shots, fired from an Israeli tank, killed four Palestinians and seriously wounded four others, they said, describing the incident as "a massacre against civilians".

However, Israel Radio, quoting military sources, one of the four was a senior commander in the Palestinian Fatah militia which has been in the forefront of the anti-Israel unrest in the Gaza Strip.

Jamal Hassan Razeq, 30, had previously sat in an Israeli jail for attacks on Israeli targets, they said. According to the Israeli version, Israeli soldiers set up a roadblock in the region early Wednesday morning, after receiving information that a senior Fatah militia commander would be travelling on the road.

The Israeli sources said that two Palestinian vehicles tried to break through the roadblock, but were fired on by Israeli soldiers. In the exchange of fire Razeq and three others were killed.

An Israeli Army Spokesman, quoted by Israel Radio, said the Israeli action was part of continuous initiated operations aimed at hitting those responsible for harming Israeli soldiers and civilians.

Abdel Razik al-Majaida, head of Palestinian Security in the Gaza Strip, denied any of the Palestinians in the cars had been armed. The shooting, he said, proved the need for international protection for the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, visiting U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen told reporters in Jerusalem that the sides had to end the violence and return to the negotiating table.

"I think all are concerned and want to see a secure and lasting peace in the Middle East. There is genuine concern that the violence can spin out of control," he said. "The cycle of violence must be stopped and we have to get back to the bargaining and negotiating table to secure a fair and just and lasting peace," he said.

Cohen arrived in Israel Wednesday, after meeting Egyptian President Housni Mubarak in Cairo. Earlier Wednesday, a hand grenade was thrown at Israeli army soldiers near the settlement of Netzer Hazani, also in the southern Gaza Strip, but caused no injuries.

However, the Israel Prime Minister's Bureau in Jerusalem was put on alert Wednesday morning, when Turkish newsmen were caught with tear gas canisters and used bullets, ahead of a meeting between Barak and Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

But after the panic subsided, it turned out the newsmen merely wanted to bring the weapons to the meeting to show Cem the kind of weaponary Israel has been using against Palestinian rock throwers.

(la/dpa)