Israeli troops enter Palestinian town

JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops briefly entered the Palestinian-ruled West Bank town of Beit Jala during a gun battle with Palestinians Sunday.

Palestinian security sources told Reuters news agency the troops moved 100 metres into the town south of Jerusalem.

The Israeli military confirmed to CNN that soldiers had entered Beit Jala for a short time with no injuries on their side.

Palestinian sources said eight Palestinians had been hurt.

The United States has sternly rebuked Israel for previous incursions into Palestinian-controlled territory.

Beit Jala, with the nearby Jewish enclave of Gilo, has been a flashpoint between the two sides since the Palestinian uprising began in September.

Altogether the conflict has so far claimed around 500 lives -- the vast majority Palestinian.

Earlier on Sunday a woman was slightly injured by an explosive device left in a rubbish bin in a Tel Aviv suburb.

The blast was near the central bus station in Petah Tikva -- the third time the area has been targeted since the uprising began -- and occurred during rush hour on what is the first day of the Israeli work week.

Israeli ambulance worker Sando Simovich told Army Radio that the woman was injured by shrapnel and three others were treated for shock.

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