An Israeli motorist was shot dead on a West Bank road just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived in Washington for his first US trip since being elected in February.
"There is one person dead near Neve Daniel on the road between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion", an Israeli security source said, referring to the West Bank road. He said the driver was shot at by Palestinian gunmen.
Mr Sharon said en route to Washington he had ordered security chiefs to meet their Palestinian counterparts in a bid to halt violence and clear the way to resume peace talks.
Mr Sharon is to meet President Bush in the White House tomorrow.