Two Palestinian men were killed at an Israeli checkpoint near Nablus today.
The Israeli army claims they opened fire when one of the men ran at them. Their fire set off an explosion that also killed a second Palestinian.
An Israeli army spokesman said soldiers who stopped a Palestinian taxi at a checkpoint near the Jewish settlement of Kedumim, outside Nablus, spotted an explosive belt on one of the passengers after ordering them out of the vehicle.
They claim the man then ran at the troops.
Soldiers opened fire and as he hit the ground, the explosive belt went off, killing a second Palestinian nearby, the army said.
It is not clear whether the alleged bomber was killed by gunfire or by the explosion that followed. Another Palestinian was injured in the blast.
Palestinian witnesses said they saw an explosion after soldiers opened fire on a car with Palestinian licence plates.
They said Palestinian ambulances rushed to the scene and Israeli troops closed off the area, but had no further details on what happened.
At least 1,648 Palestinians and 625 Israelis have been killed since the Palestinian revolt began in September 2000.