BBC Tuesday, 17 July, 2001, 13:04 GMT 14:04 UK Israeli strike 'kills three'

Reports from the West Bank say three Palestinians have been killed and several others injured in an Israeli helicopter strike.

Palestinian sources said the helicopters struck a house in the town of Bethlehem belonging to the Fatah movement of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The men were named as Omar Saadeh, Taha Aruj and Saadeh's cousin, Mohammed Saadeh. The first two are known to be activists for the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The attack followed the overnight attack by Israeli tanks on Palestinian checkpoints in the town of Jenin and Tulkarem in retaliation for a suicide bomb attack in northern Israel.

The bomber blew himself up near a train station in the town of Binyamina on Monday evening, killing two Israelis, a male and a female soldier, and injuring at least eight others.

The tense security situation earlier led Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer to call off a week-long visit to the United States.

The Palestinians have accused Israel of assassinating more than 30 militants by various methods, including bombs and helicopter gunships, since the Palestinian intifada,m or uprising, began almost 10 months ago.

More than 40 people have been killed since a US-sponsored ceasefire was agreed a month ago.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001