news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2930279.stm
A Jewish militant group calling itself Revenge of the Infants allegedly claimed to have been behind the attack, but police have cast doubt on their statement. Reports suggest that an Israeli-made grenade was found near the gates of the school and went off when students touched it. The incident, in the West Bank village of Jabaa, near Jenin, comes as at least one man was shot dead following a raid by the Israeli army into the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. Jenin governor Haider Irshaid blamed the school blast on Israel, saying the Israeli army had placed a bomb at the school gates. Palestinian police who checked the scene found shrapnel and said the device was Israeli-made, with Hebrew letters on it, Mr Irshaid said. But an Israeli army spokesman said the military rarely conducts operations in the area and Israeli army sources said there had been no units in the area at the time of the incident. The French news agency AFP quoted an anonymous security official as doubting the Jewish militant group's claim of responsibility. Strike defended Also on Wednesday, at least one man was killed following an Israeli army raid into the town of Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces were looking for Qassam rockets and launchers after members of the Islamic militant group Hamas fired a rocket into the southern Israeli town of Sderot, Israeli radio reported. Israel has also defended the decision to carry out a missile strike which killed three Hamas militants and two civilians, including a 12-year-old boy. We have not changed our policy on targeted operations against terrorists since the US intervention in Iraq Israeli deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim The strike, which killed Saed Arabeed, a senior figure in the group's armed wing, was performed by an Israeli F-16 warplane which fired two missiles at the car Arabeed was travelling in. Two of the other dead were Hamas militants, Ashraf al-Halabi and Imad Nassar, according to reports. Correspondents say the area of the raid, the Zeitoun neighbourhood in the eastern part of the city, is known as a stronghold of the Islamic militant group, Hamas. A month ago, one of the group's founders, Ibrahim al-Maqadma, was killed in a similar attack. Go WATCH AND LISTEN 58 The BBC's James Rodgers "The passengers were a senior commander in the armed wing of Hamas, and his deputy" 59 Israel and the Palestinians KEY STORIES 60 Sharon firm ahead of Gaza vote 61 Israeli children killed in Gaza 62 US warns against travel to Israel 63 Israelis rally for Gaza settlers 64 Israel plans 'no Arafat action' ANALYSIS 65 Ariel Sharon 66 Gaza or bust 67 Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has risked alienating his own party and the wider Arab world 68 Gaza looks to its future 69 America's allies feel strain 70 Sharon changes equation 71 Q&A: Bush endorses Sharon plan 72 Disengagement plan: Key points 73 Washington's changing role HAVE YOUR SAY 74 What will follow Rantissi's killing?
|