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Israeli forces are tearing down a Jewish settlement outpost in the West Bank despite heated protests from settlers in the area.

Scuffles broke out Thursday, as a team of Israeli soldiers and police began dismantling the tents and temporary structures that make up the tiny Mitzpeh Yitzhar outpost, near the Palestinian town of Nablus. Three settlers and at least four security personnel suffered slight injuries.

About 200 settlers had placed cars in the road and set fire to surrounding shrubbery in a bid to keep soldiers from reaching the hilltop site. Israel's action at Mitzpeh Yitzhar marks the first time it has tried to remove a populated settler outpost in the West Bank, in line with the "road map" plan for Middle East peace. The "road map" calls for the immediate removal of all such outposts, as well as a stop to all Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza.

Last week Israeli forces took down 10 unpopulated outposts that settlers had set up without Israeli government approval. Settlers have set up at least 60 such rogue outposts in the West Bank over the last two years. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised that some of them would be removed when he met with President Bush and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas at a summit this month in Jordan.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed the bomber and the owner of an Israeli grocery store earlier Thursday. The bomber detonated his explosives in the grocery near the northern Israeli town of Beit Shean. Israeli police say they suspect the bomb went off prematurely and that the bomber's target may have been a nearby bus stop.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the latest suicide bombing and confirmed he would visit Israel and the Palestinian territories on Friday with the hope of restoring momentum to peace efforts.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has been trying to persuade militant Palestinian groups to halt attacks on Israeli civilians. Mr. Abbas held separate talks in Gaza City Wednesday with leaders of Islamic Jihad and Hamas, but failed to reach an agreement on a cease-fire.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.