Israel Announces New Travel Curbs on West Bank Cities Israel responded today with yet another crackdown on Palestinian travel in much of the West Bank after a bomb ripped apart an Israeli commuter bus in northern Galilee early Sunday, igniting a fireball that left nine people dead and beginning a burst of widespread Palestinian violence.

In the Gaza Strip, about 25 tanks cut off the southern town of Rafah, a frequent center of violence, and an adjacent refugee camp from the rest of the strip. The army said it acted to prevent more attacks on Israelis.

After the new crackdown was announced, Israeli radio reports said a terrorist died today when a bomb in a car he was driving exploded about 100 yards from its apparent target, a bus station outside the Arab Israeli town of Umm el-Fahm. One other person was injured in what the Israelis called a "work accident," a term they use when a terrorist's bomb goes off prematurely. Israel's Channel Two television said both men were militants.

Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said restrictions on Palestinian movement would be tightened further, and that troops were planning operations to "maintain a much bigger closure than what we are doing now."

Under the new ban, Palestinians will not be able to drive in the northern half of the West Bank, between the towns of Nablus, Jenin, Qalqiliya, Tulkarm and Ramallah, the army said. Some movement will be permitted in the southern West Bank, including the towns of Hebron, Bethlehem and Jericho.

Stringent curbs on Palestinian travel have been in place since September 2000, with Palestinians confined to their communities for extended periods as Israeli troops try to prevent terror attacks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/05/international/05CND-MIDE.html?pagewanted=all&position=top