Five Palestinians were killed today as the Israeli army staged number of operations, including its largest incursion yet in the Gaza Strip.
The incursion prompted accusations that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was trying to deflect attention from scandals ahead of the elections.
Violence also flared in the West Bank, as a Palestinian was shot dead near Hebron and scores of tanks backed by helicopters raided the city of Jenin.
More than 80 armoured vehicles, backed by several gunships, moved into the autonomous southern city of Khan Yunis overnight, killing one Palestinian. "The Khan Yunis incursion is the biggest since the start of the uprising," a senior Palestinian security official said.
This afternoon, Israeli helicopters fired threerockets on a car in KhanYunis, killing twoteenage boys riding their bicycles nearby, Palestinian witnesses said.
The army also staged an overnight incursion into Beit Hanun, which left another Palestinian dead.
In the northern West Bank town of Jenin, where Israel allowed some 100 unarmed Palestinia policemen to resume duty last week, the army also launched a large-scale operation, with some 40 armoured vehicles and helicopters. Sporadic exchanges of fire broke out but no one was injured.
In a separate incident in the southern West Bank, a Palestinian was killed by Israeli automatic gunfire north of Hebron. According to an army spokesman, armed Palestinians attacked a tanker delivering gas to Jewish settlements in the area and the security guards escorting the convoy returned fire, killing one of the assailants.
The Palestinians accused Mr Sharon of getting tough on the Palestinians to boost his electoral campaign, which has suffered from various graft allegations.
"These operations were an attempt by the Israeli government to escape corruption accusations and influence the Israeli electoral campaign by perpetrating more killings, destruction and state terrorism in the territories," top Palestinian negotiator Mr Saeb Erakat said.
But the premier returned the accusation of foul play in the electoral run-up over a call from Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat for restraint ahead of the Israeli vote on January 28th.
"For the president of the Palestinian Authority, the murder of Israelis are a permanent goal coupled with political considerations," said a statement from Mr Sharon's office.
Mr Sharon, who held a commanding lead in the opinion polls only a month ago, has seen his advantage dwindle after several corruption scandals erupted.
After the premier successfully controlled the damage caused to his Likud party by cash-for-votes allegations, another affair involving his sons damaged his personal image last week and started an alarming decline in popularity ratings.
AFP