Hundreds dead at refugee camp

Palestinians have called on the United Nations to investigate the killings of people in the camp during the last week and accused Israel of carrying out massacres.

The news came as US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived for crucial talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and Israeli troops invaded another village near Nablus.

The stress of the situation appears to have taken its toll on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who has come under fire in his headquarters in Ramallah. Pictures showed him looking tired and pale and his characteristic black stubble transformed into a white beard.

The Israeli military said in a statement today that "activities in Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Dura and Dahariyah, south of Hebron, continue".

Brigadier-General Ron Kitrey, the army’s chief spokesman, said previous estimates of about 100 people killed in Jenin had been significantly revised.

"There were apparently hundreds of dead," he said.

However the Army later revised the estimate saying it included people who had been wounded.

Brig-Gen Kitry denied Israeli soldiers had carried out massacres in the camp during the offensive to root out militants in the West Bank.

He also said that efforts to collect and bury the bodies would begin today.

The issue of Israelis burying the bodies is extremely sensitive because of Palestinian accusations that the military is trying to hide the scope and the nature of the deaths in the Jenin camp.

The Palestinians have alleged that Israel massacred people in the camp and used a bulldozer to push the bodies into a mass grave - charges vehemently denied by Israel.

Another senior Israeli army official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the bodies would be buried at a special cemetery in the Jordan Valley.

"We made it clear to the Palestinians that if they don’t bury their dead, we will be forced to bury them ourselves to prevent disease and guard the respect for the dead," the army official said.

Jenin, like other West Bank areas, has been declared a closed military area, and journalists have been barred.

Palestinians earlier spoke of massacres and a death toll as high as 500, but their claims were dismissed as "propaganda" by the Israelis.

An armed Palestinian went through the workers’ line at the Erez crossing point from Gaza into Israel early today and opened fire, wounding four Israelis, one seriously, before he was shot and killed. Three Palestinians were also wounded.

On the Israeli side in Jenin, 23 soldiers were killed, 13 in an elaborate ambush involving explosives and gunfire.

Fighting in the Jenin refugee camp ended yesterday with the surrender of dozens of Palestinian gunmen, including several leaders of militant groups.

The Israeli military said 4185 Palestinians had been detained during the operation.

This was the situation faced by Mr Powell who was having talks with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon today and was due to meet Mr Arafat tomorrow.

Mr Powell said he would be having a "very long conversation" with Mr Sharon.

US President George W Bush has called repeatedly on Israel to end its offensive in the West Bank, which began March 29 after a series of deadly Palestinian suicide bomb attacks.

Palestinian officials said they would not enter into cease-fire talks until Israel pulls out of all Palestinian-controlled territory. That would include Mr Arafat’s own office in Ramallah, one of the first targets of the Israeli offensive.

Mr Arafat has been confined to three rooms of his office building for two weeks, braving frequent electricity cuts and water shortages. Rare videotape from the building released yesterday showed Mr Arafat and his aides looking drawn and tired.

A huge majority of Israelis approve of the large-scale military operation now underway in the West Bank, according to a poll published today.

The survey found 75 per cent of the people approved of the operation, called Defensive Shield.