Military

DATE=04/02/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS (LONG)

NUMBER=2-288246

BYLINE= ROSS DUNN

DATELINE=

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Israel's army stepped its up military operations inside the West Bank Tuesday, in a campaign to halt Palestinian terror attacks. Ross Dunn reports from Jerusalem.

TEXT: Israeli troops, backed by tanks, have exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank town, Bethlehem.

The fighting is close to the Church of the Nativity -- built over the spot where tradition holds Jesus was born.

Dozens of Palestinian gunmen fired from rooftops and from inside buildings at the Israeli troops.

Israeli forces have also surrounded the headquarters of the West Bank Palestinian chief Jibril Rajoub, near Ramallah.

The troops are reported to be acting on suspicion Mr. Rajoub is providing shelter to Palestinians on Israel's wanted list of suspects.

Since Friday, Israel has trapped Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat inside his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah and has arrested more than 700 Palestinians, suspected of involvement in violent attacks.

The latest military actions come one day after a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a car in Jerusalem.

An Israeli police officer and the bomber died in the blast and at least two other people were injured.

In a separate incident, Monday, one Palestinian was killed and another wounded in a shooting attack near Ramallah.

Israeli police are investigating whether an extremist Jewish vigilante group is responsible. (signed).

NEB / RD / WD