Gunbattles break out around Bethlehem

In this story: Circumstances of man's death disputed Israel to cooperate with inquiry Election preparations under way RELATED STORIES, SITES

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Fresh gunbattles broke out Monday as Palestinians clashed with the Israeli military.

Renewed fighting was reported near the West Bank town of Ramallah and on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Israeli helicopter gunships were involved in the fighting.

The fresh clashes came just hours after a Palestinian was shot dead in Gaza in unknown circumstances.

VIDEO CNN's Nic Robertson reports on the continuing violence Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Nic Robertson reports on what both sides in the Mideast conflict have begun to realize (December 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace     ALSO Mideast violence mars festive spirit in birthplace of Jesus Clinton urges Barak to move ahead with fact-finding committee

The Israel Defense Forces also said an Israeli soldier was in critical condition Sunday after being stabbed in the neck near Ramallah. The soldier's attacker escaped.

Hospital sources and Israeli Radio confirmed the death of the Palestinian.

The death toll in nine weeks of Mideast violence now stands at almost 300, most of them Palestinians.

Circumstances of man's death disputed

As darkness fell over the West Bank, gunfire could be heard.

Earlier Sunday, Palestinians held an emotional funeral for a man shot dead by Israeli soldiers under circumstances that are being disputed. The Israeli Army said the man was shot Saturday near Ramallah when he brandished a gun at Ayosh Junction.

But the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the man was a 26-year-old electrician who had been holding a drill while working at the window of a damaged building.

Israel to cooperate with inquiry

As part of the efforts to end the violence, Israel said on Sunday that it would cooperate with a U.S.-led international inquiry into the violence. Israel, in the past, had been reluctant to go along with the probe as long as the violence continued.

The five-member committee, led by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, includes diplomats from the United States, the European Union, Turkey and Norway.

Election preparations under way

The ongoing violence, meanwhile, formed an unsettling backdrop to the preparations for Israeli elections. Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his opponents agreed last week to move toward early elections, probably in April or May.

Barak vowed to keep searching for a solution to the Mideast deadlock and secure a peace deal with the Palestinians. This includes an interim agreement that would leave out particularly contentious issues such as the final status of Jerusalem and its sacred shrines.

Both sides blame the other for the current wave of violence, and both insist the other is capable of stopping it.

To protest Barak's peace efforts, right-wing Israelis gathered Sunday outside a Cabinet meeting and demanded that Barak not sign any deal with the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, there was speculation that former hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would challenge Barak in the early elections. Opinion polls show Netanyahu's popularity is strong more than a year after he lost his re-election bid to Barak.

Palestinian killed; Israeli soldier stabbed
December 3, 2000
Two Palestinians killed in Mideast violence
December 2, 2000
Three Palestinians killed in Friday's violence
December 1, 2000
Barak backs 'phased agreement' to bring peace with Palestinians
November 30, 2000
U.S. eyes 'one more shot' at Mideast peace deal
November 29, 2000
Israeli-Palestinian peace process expected to dominate election campaign
November 28, 2000
U.N. human rights chief accuses Israel of using excessive force
November 27, 2000
Israeli soldiers kill 5 Palestinians
November 26, 2000
Mideast violence kills 4 more Palestinians
November 25, 2000

Knesset, The Israeli Parliament
Likud
Ramadan on the Net
Israel Defense Forces Homepage
Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Palestinian National Authority

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.