An Israeli sniper killed a Palestinian during an army raid on the West Bank city of Nablus today as Palestinian President Mr Yasser Arafat discussed Middle East peace with a top European envoy.
Palestinian witnesses and medical officials said the sniper shot a 23-year-old man near his home in Nablus. The Israeli army said the man had been killed in an exchange of fire.
It said troops had detained more than 100 people in Nablus, the nearby Balata refugee camp and the village of Tamoun in military incursions launched on Friday. The army says it is trying to catch militants behind a surge of suicide bombings.
Troops were also operating in the West Bank town of Tulkarm and the Dheisheh refuge camp near Bethlehem, a spokesman said.
EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana said after meeting Mr Arafat in Ramallah that the suffering of ordinary Palestinians made it vital to push ahead with fresh peace moves.
"We are determined to see how we can put a political process forward so that we can see an end to this situation which is terrible for the people of Palestine," he told reporters.
"I have found President Arafat very determined to move in that direction," said Mr Solana, who is due to see Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tomorrow.