Israeli and Palestinian security chiefs were last night holding their first face-to-face talks in several weeks, despite continuing violence that saw three Israelis and one Palestinian killed in West Bank shootings yesterday, and two Palestinians - one a suicide bomber - killed when attacking an army position in Gaza.
The security talks, designed to reduce the level of violence in the West Bank, are set to be followed today by a second such meeting, focusing on the Gaza Strip.
The meetings are the result of several days of shuttle diplomacy by the US envoy Mr William Burns, who is trying to broker a timetable for the implementation of the Mitchell Commission report and its provisions for an immediate ceasefire and an eventual return to peace negotiations.
Yesterday's violence saw Gilad Zar, a settlements' security officer, shot dead in his car near Nablus. A claim of responsibility was issued in Beirut on behalf of a wing of the Fatah faction of the PLO. In mid-afternoon, gunmen opened fire on another Israeli vehicle, outside Bethlehem, carrying mourners to Mr Zar's funeral. Two of the passengers were killed.
Israeli troops shot dead a 20year-old Palestinian, Ahmad Ihleile, and wounded three others near a checkpoint outside Jericho. A Palestinian blew himself up at an Israeli army position at Neveh Dekalim in Gaza, and a second man was shot dead by troops when he threw grenades at them.