Israel admits error in deaths of 4 Palestinians

NABLUS, West Bank -- Israel said its forces erred Friday in firing tank shells on curfew violators in the West Bank, killing three children and a teacher. Angry Jewish settlers also killed a Palestinian during a rampage after a funeral for an Israeli family slain by infiltrators.

Four days of Palestinian suicide bombings, settlement infiltrations, Israeli military retaliation and other violence has left 33 Israelis and 12 Palestinians dead. It also has delayed plans by President Bush to deliver a speech outlining U.S. recommendations for Mideast peacemaking, now expected Monday.

Senior Israeli ministers, meanwhile, decided to act "more intensively, more deeply" in Palestinian areas to root out those behind terror attacks.

Israeli fire on Palestinians violating a curfew Friday in Jenin killed Ahmed Ghazawi, 6, and his 12-year-old brother Jamil, as well as Sajedah Famahwi, 6, and Helal Shetta, a school teacher who was about 50.

False rumors

Yusef Ghazawi, father of Ahmed and Jamil, said his children went outside to ride their bicycles after rumors spread -- falsely, it turned out -- that the curfew had been lifted for a few hours. "I heard an explosion. I didn't think that it was my children and I didn't go out immediately," he said, crying.

The army said soldiers conducting house-to-house searches for an explosives laboratory spotted a group of Palestinians who had broken the curfew heading toward them. Soldiers fired two tank shells to deter them, the army said.

Palestinian residents, security and hospital officials said tanks fired shells and Israeli soldiers fired with machine guns in three separate areas: two market streets and a nearby neighborhood. As with the deaths, many children were among the 24 people wounded, hospital officials said.

Mohammed Abdullah, 63, said he went to buy medicine for his back after he'd heard the curfew was lifted. Near the market, he saw a tank fire then spin its turret his way. "Just as I moved back, I heard a shell hit the second floor of a nearby house," said Abdullah, who was hit by shrapnel in his leg and hand.

The army spokesman's office said an initial inquiry "indicates that the force erred in its action," and that an investigation was continuing.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "we would expect the Israelis to look into this kind of tragic incident."

Asked about the shooting in Jenin, Arafat aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh lashed out at Israel's policy of reoccupying Palestinian areas, saying it endangered peace prospects. He urged Washington to step in. "Israel is taking advantage of this American absence and this American green light," Abu Rdeneh said.

The government also reportedly was looking into the legality of exiling Palestinian militants, families of suicide bombers and members of the Palestinian leadership from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip, which is more isolated.