Israelis kill 1, make arrest in West Bank

JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops staged raids in the Tulkarem area yesterday and today, reentering the northern West Bank town for the first time since returning it to Palestinian control in March. Palestinian officials condemned the incursion as a violation of agreements between the two sides.

Palestinian security officials said Israeli special forces entered Tulkarem before dawn yesterday and arrested 18-year-old Mohammed Shalhoub. Israeli military officials said Shalhoub was an Islamic Jihad militant preparing an imminent suicide attack against Israelis and had already filmed the video testament often left by suicide bombers.

Shalhoub's sister Manar was shot dead three years ago as she attempted to stab an Israeli soldier.

Tulkarem Governor Azzadin A-Sharif said he had registered a complaint with Israeli authorities over the incursion, which he said was a breach of the handover agreement.

''They need to coordinate with us when they want to enter," he said. ''This is against all the agreements."

Israeli military officials said the agreement gave Israel the right to reenter Palestinian territory in cases where a Palestinian attack was imminent.

Israeli troops entered a village outside of Tulkarem again today, shooting dead a member of the Islamic Jihad group, who fired at the advancing soldiers, Israeli Army radio reported.

Israel pledged to turn over five West Bank towns to Palestinian security control as part of a Feb. 8 cease-fire agreement, but only Tulkarem and Jericho have been transferred. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has said he was delaying handovers until the Palestinian Authority fulfilled a pledge to disarm militants.