Sunday, 1 April, 2001, 13:45 GMT 14:45 UK
Arafat's bodyguards arrested
Both sides have been burying their dead
Israel has seized at least five members of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's elite Force 17 bodyguard unit.
In a special operation near the West Bank town of Ramallah, Israeli security men took the men whilst they were manning a checkpoint near a Palestinian village.
The Israelis have accused Force 17 of colluding with extremist groups such as Hamas in carrying out attacks inside Israel.
The arrests come on a day of continuing tension as both sides buried children killed in confrontations earlier this week.
The BBC's Hillary Andersson in Jerusalem says the Israeli press is full of speculation that a prolonged campaign against the Palestinians is in the offing.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted security officials as saying that more air and ground attacks were imminent, as well as more arrests of Palestinian activists.
Last Wednesday, Israeli helicopters attacked the Force 17 headquarters and offices in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip.
The special unit is considered to be the best-trained force among Mr Arafat's Palestinian police and is responsible for his personal safety.
Funerals
Amidst the tension, both sides buried the victims of a week of violence.
Palestinians buried seven people killed in confrontation with Israeli soldiers.
They included an 11-year-old boy who died on Sunday of wounds suffered during a clash with Israeli forces two weeks ago.
In the West Bank town of Hebron, emotional Jewish settlers buried a 10-month-old baby girl killed on Monday by a Palestinian sniper.
Her parents had refused to bury her until Israeli forces recaptured the hill overlooking the Jewish enclave, from where the sniper had shot her.
The burial finally went ahead after personal appeals from the Israeli chief rabbi, Israel Meir Lau.
The burials capped a week of suicide bombings, shootings and rocket attacks that caused the deaths of three Israelis and at least 12 Palestinians.
Our correspondent says the burials of both
children have served to harden attitudes on
both sides, and there is a widespread feeling
that the conflict may be entering a new, more
intense phase.
-- Anonymous, April 01, 2001