Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian gunman today after he opened fire on them during a foot patrol along Israel's border with the West Bank, a police spokesman said.
A group of border police was on patrol and they were shot at. One officer was wounded and his comrades returned fire, the spokesman said.
The incident occurred near the Israeli town of Shaar Ephraim, close to the West Bank city of Tulkarm.
Meanwhile Palestinian police today arrested at least 75 militants from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups following the deadly suicide attacks in Israel, a senior Palestinian security source told AFP.
The incidents followed an earlier statement from the Israeli army saying it was in the process of encircling Palestinian cities in the West Bank in response to the numerous warnings of future attacks by Palestinian militants.
The army said it would block all Palestinian traffic outside areas under Palestinian control in the West Bank except for what it called humanitarian cases and the passage of food and fuel.
Israel has imposed a crippling military blockade of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in varying degrees of severity, since the start of a Palestinian uprising in September 2000. Palestinians say the measures amount to collective punishment.
Israel had already tightened its grip on three West Bank cities, Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarm, early yesterday due to warnings of imminent attacks.
AFP and