Israel Kills 5 Palestinians

NABLUS: Israeli tankfire killed four Palestinians in the West Bank Wednesday afternoon, including one wanted by the occupation authorities for “his direct responsibility” in a number of suicide bombings, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

Earlier Wednesday, the Israeli occupatin army cut the Gaza Strip in half by blocking the main north-south road.

Also Wednesday, a suicide blast killed two people, plus the bomber, and injured at least 20 in Rishon Lesion, south of Tel Aviv, Israeli public television reported.

In addition, two other Palestinian men died in the West Bank. One had explosives that went off prematurely while he was on foot at a road junction outside the town of Jenin, the military said.

The second man, Moussa Daraghmeh, 35, was shot dead at the main checkpoint on the edge of Bethlehem after a shouting match with soldiers, according to Palestinian witnesses and the man's cousin, Amer Daraghmeh.