Israel reported new violence by Palestinians today as the United States stepped up efforts to hold together a ceasefire which is in danger of collapse after 10 killings in one week.
President Bush had telephoned Israeli Prime Mr Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mr Yasser Arafat late yesterday to urge them to honour the truce brokered last week by the CIA chief Mr George Tenet.
Mr Bush called on the two leaders to make an all-out effort to stop the violence. He announced he was sending Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell tothe region next week to secure efforts to preserve the ceasefire and build upon it.
Since the truce began eight days ago six Palestinians and four Israelis have been killed; mortar bombs have landed on Jewish settlements in Gaza and several dozen Palestinians were wounded in confrontations with Israeli troops.
In Ramallah in the West Bank today hundreds of furious mourners waving Palestinian flags took part in a funeral procession for Mr Mohammad Nafe', vowing to avenge his killing, Palestinian witnesses said.
Relatives said Mr Nafe' (30) was shot by soldiers yesterday near an Israeli roadblock on his way home from work inside Israel. Israeli Army Radio said he was shot resisting arrest.
The Israeli army said meanwhile Palestinians fired a large-calibre mortar bomb at a collective farm inside Israel along the Gaza border early this morning. The blast shattered windows of cars more than 50 metres away but no one was hurt.