Blast kills Palestinian militants

JENIN - Two top Palestinian militant commanders were killed in an explosion at the Jenin refugee camp said to have been caused by a missile from an Israeli warplane.

The deaths of Ala'a Sabbagh of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Imad Nasharti of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades yesterday raised the spectre of a surge in Israeli-Palestinian violence ahead of tomorrow's pre-election leadership ballot in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ruling Likud Party. But their deaths could also give Sharon, challenged by Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a boost among Likud members.

Witnesses said they had seen an Israeli F-16 jet fire a missile at a house where Sabbagh and Nasharti had been hiding.

- REUTERS

Herald feature: The Middle East