Two Palestinians die in attack on Israeli bus, army claims

JERUSALEM -- Two Palestinians threw grenades Monday at an Israeli bus in the Gaza Strip and were shot dead by Israeli troops, and an Islamic Jihad activist was killed in an explosion in the West Bank -- the latest incidents in escalating violence two weeks before Israel's election.

In the Gaza incident, the two attackers charged the bus as it left the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, a senior army officer said. Troops opened fire, killing the assailants. A pistol and six more grenades were found on the bodies, said the officer, who gave only his first name, Yoel. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

In a valley near Nablus, Islamic Jihad fugitive Raami Abu Bakr was killed and another activist, Fuad Ahmed, was wounded in an explosion. Ahmed said they were hit by an Israeli missile, but he could not say where it came from. The Israeli military said the two were trying to fire a shoulder-mounted missile at a fuel tanker, but it blew up.

Also Monday, the speaker of the Palestinian parliament, Ahmed Qureia, said Israel prevented him from traveling to the West Bank town of Ramallah to open a session of the legislature. He said he asked to cross two military checkpoints, but did not receive authorization.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of a specific request by Qureia, but the ban is in line with a decision by the Israeli Cabinet last week to restrict travel by Palestinian officials in response to a double suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed 23 people.

Impeded by travel ban

The travel ban stymied British plans to host Palestinian officials for a conference on reform of the Palestinian Authority and options for peace with Israel, scheduled to open Tuesday in London. The Palestinians will now take part by telephone.

In two shooting attacks late Sunday, an Israeli civilian and a soldier were killed.

In one attack, two Palestinian gunmen sneaked into the northern Israeli village of Gadish, just 2 1/2 miles from the West Bank, and killed a 48-year-old Israeli man. One of the attackers was run over by an Israeli army officer, and the second was killed in a shootout. The militant Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

Also late Sunday, two infiltrators sneaked across the usually calm Israeli-Egyptian border, barren desert land south of the Gaza Strip. The military said a patrol came across the three and exchanged fire with them, killing two. An Israeli soldier was also killed.