Ahead of a scheduled Israeli-Palestinian security meeting tonight, and a visit to Israel today by the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Mr Abdulilah al-Khatib, who is bearing the latest blueprint for Middle East peace, violence flared over the weekend as Hizbullah guerrillas killed an Israeli soldier and Israeli tanks and bulldozers again thrust into Palestinian-controlled territory.
Early today Israeli warplanes hit a Syrian radar station killing at least three and wounding five Syrian soldiers in a raid on eastern Lebanon, Lebanese security sources and witnesses said.
The Israeli army issued a statement saying it had launched the attack on Syrian radar targets in retaliation for the killing of the Israeli soldier.
It said it would not tolerate "terrorism" by the Hizbullah movement which it said was acting under Syrian patronage.
"Smoke and fire is billowing over the area where the radar station was hit," said a Reuter correspondent at the scene of the raids in the Syrian-controlled Bekaa Valley.
The soldier, Mr Elad Litvak (21), was killed on Saturday when Hizbullah guerrillas fired two anti-tank missiles from the Lebanese side of the border at Israeli tanks in the Shebaa Farms, known by Israelis as Har Dov. The Shia guerrilla movement insists the area is Lebanese territory, but the UN has determined the territory was conquered by Israel from Syria, and UN officials said earlier yesterday the attack was a gross violation of the UN-drawn border between the two countries.
In retaliation, Israel used fighter planes and artillery to bombard suspected Hizbullah positions just inside Lebanon.
Also on Saturday, two Israeli army bulldozers, with cover from three tanks, surged 100 metres into Gaza's Rafah refugee camp and destroyed a police position and 16 structures in the area. In a firefight that ensued between soldiers and Palestinian forces, 35 Palestinians were injured, including 11 children and two women.
There was more violence on Saturday night when two pipebombs exploded within the space of an hour in the Israeli city of Kfar Saba, injuring a 70year-old resident. A third pipebomb exploded yesterday morning near an Israeli army outpost in the West Bank. There were no injuries.
In Gaza yesterday, members of the militant Hamas movement buried Mr Mohammed Yassin Nasser (25), who was killed in an explosion on Saturday in Gaza City. While Hamas leaders said Mr Nasser - a bodyguard for Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the group's spiritual leader - was killed when the Israeli army fired a missile at the house he was in, Israel denied any involvement, insisting he was killed when a bomb he was preparing exploded.
Sources close to Mr Ariel Sharon let it be known yesterday that the Israeli Prime Minister was distinctly unimpressed by an Egyptian-Jordanian peace initiative which Mr al-Khatib plans to present to the Israeli leader during his visit today. Mr Sharon's main objection to the plan, which includes steps for a mutual cessation of hostilities and a renewal of talks, is the idea that a deadline be set when the sides have to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.
"I think peace negotiations with Sharon are a waste of time," said Mr Ahmed Abdel Rahman, an aide to the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat.
While Mr Sharon has said he will refuse to negotiate with the Palestinians as long as violence continues, it emerged yesterday that his son, Omri, had met Mr Arafat last Wednesday.
The Palestinian Authority confirmed today it has released the Hamas military leader, Mohammed Deif, number one on Israel's most wanted list, from prison but said he remained under their "control."