Israeli tanks and troops swept into the West Bank city of Qalqiliya today after leaving Bethlehem, as Israel intensified its raids into Palestinian-ruled areas following four suicide bomb attacks in a week.
Palestinian witnesses said troops detained one man, who was not a known militant, and were shooting to keep residents indoors and away from their windows.
Israeli armoured cars also patrolled Tulkarm to enforce an Israeli-declared curfew, even after the end yesterday of a 24-hour operation in the West Bank city.
"A curfew has been imposed on [Qalqiliya] and our forces are carrying out sweeps and arrests in order to prevent terrorists from leaving the city," an Israeli army statement said.
In Russia, US President George W Bush reiterated criticism of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. "He had a chance to secure the peace ... He didn't. He had a chance to fight terrorism, and he hasn't," President Bush said before ending a four-day summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Evidently there's a new attitude among some of the Palestinian leadership, and we'll see if he can deliver," he said in reference to calls for reform of the Palestinian Authority.
Mr Bush's comments followed a New York Timesreport saying that an internal debate in the US administration over whether to seek the Palestinian leader's removal was holding up Middle East peace moves.
His remarks drew an indignant response from senior Palestinian negotiator Mr Saeb Erekat, who accused the US president of "interfering in the elected Palestinian leadership".
But appearing on the 'Fox News Sunday' programme, Ms Condoleezza Rice, Mr Bush's national security adviser, said: "We're not trying to choose the Palestinian leadership. We'll deal with whomever at whatever time."
However, she noted Palestinians were discussing reforms and stressed the need "for Palestinian institutions ... to be reformed in a way that they can be accountable, not just to the international community but to the Palestinian people".