Tuesday, 11 September, 2001, 03:06 GMT 04:06 UK Israeli tanks massed at Palestinian town

The tanks rolled towards Jenin under cover of darkness

Israeli troops and tanks are massing around the West Bank city of Jenin which Israel says is the source for recent suicide bombings by Palestinian militants.

Palestinian gunmen have also shot dead two Israelis in a roadside ambush, according to a report on Israel Radio.

The attack took place inside Israeli territory not far from the boundary line with the West Bank just north of the autonomous Palestinian town of Tulkarem.

In Jenin, the Reuters news agency reported heavy gunfire as calls rang out from loudspeakers in the city for Palestinians to take up arms and confront the Israeli forces.

Residents of Jenin were reported to have gone out to prepare blockades against a possible attack, while members of Mr Arafat's Fatah faction evacuated their offices.

Security officials said at 0300 (0000 GMT) that six Israeli tanks were moving towards Jenin from the north and 11 from the south.

Stranglehold

Israel Radio's military affairs correspondent said Israeli forces had moved into Palestinian-ruled territory on the outskirts of Jenin with the aim of encircling but not entering the city.

She reported that Israeli forces would take up positions around Jenin and block Palestinians from entering or leaving.

Reports say evidence is mounting that a man who blew himself up in a crowd near a railway station in the Israeli city of Nahariya killing three other people on Sunday was in contact with Islamic militants in Jenin before the bombing.

The man is thought to have held Israeli citizenship - which would be the first time a so-called Arab Israeli would have turned himself into a human bomb inside Israel.

The centre of Jenin was targeted by Israeli tanks and bulldozers on 14 August when they entered the town and tore down a police headquarters following another suicide bombing.

Uncertainty

Tension in the West Bank added to uncertainty over plans for bilateral truce talks in the next few days.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that all preparations were in place for a meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Only a venue was still to be decided.

But Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said no decision had been made on the meeting.

Israel says Jenin is a hotbed of suicide bombers and it has accused the Palestinian Authority of doing nothing to stop them.

The Palestinian Authority has rejected the Israeli allegations and issued a statement condemning all attacks on civilians as well as the subsequent missile strikes.

Diplomatic efforts

European Union envoy Miguel Moratinos said negotiations were progressing for a meeting between Mr Peres and Mr Arafat, although he denied earlier reports that a meeting had already been agreed.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is said to have given his backing to the talks, which are expected to focus on the possibility of restoring a ceasefire and easing the blockade of the Palestinian territories.

It was made clear earlier on Monday that Israel had rejected a Palestinian proposal to hold the talks in Taba, Egypt - the location favoured by the Palestinians.

Mr Peres said he wanted the meeting to be away from the media spotlight.

Correspondents say this would make the Erez checkpoint on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip the most likely venue.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2001