Another Palestinian child was added to the Middle East death tally today, while the Palestinians warned of potential catastrophe if Israel does not act urgently to help bring an international peace plan to fruition.
An 11-year-old Palestinian was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers at Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on a day that saw the soldiers come under gunfire attack several times during the day.
Three other Palestinian children were wounded during the incident, with the Israeli army saying 26 grenades and four petrol bombs had been thrown at its positions, although it reported no casualties.
The child's death brought the death toll since the start of the intifada last September 28 to 639 - 501 Palestinians, 119 Israelis, 13 Arab Israelis and six Europeans.
Earlier, senior Palestinian official Mr Abu Rudeina warned of a potential "explosion" in the region.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon of stalling the Mitchell peace plan and said delays were only fanning the flames of unrest as a US-sponsored ceasefire has failed to take hold on the ground.
"This policy -and American silence in the face of Israeli aggression - can lead to an explosion," said Mr Abu Rudeina, calling on the US, Russia and the EU to force Israel to implement the peace plan.
The Palestinians say more than 30 people have been killed in direct attacks which have been criticised by US and UN officials.Israel says the policy is needed because Palestinian Yasser Arafat refuses to rein in militants who carry out anti-Israeli violence.
For his part, Mr Sharon has said there could be no backing down from a seven-day period of total calm, negotiated by US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell during his visit to the region at the end of June, before moving forward with the Mitchell plan.
The Israeli leader returned yesterday from a short visit to Europe, where German and French leaders cautioned him not to undermine Mr Arafat by accepting only a total end to all Palestinian attacks before moving forward with the Mitchell plan.
The prime minister downplayed the criticism, saying he had achieved his key goal of getting Europe to understand the Israeli position in the face of the ongoing violence.
AFP