Israel Tanks Enter Gaza on Eve of Peace Talks

Israeli troops in tanks and armored vehicles mounted an incursion into Gaza yesterday, killing at least six Palestinian militants on the eve of a new round of peace talks. As many as 30 tanks and vehicles were involved in the operation in southern Gaza, near the Sufa crossing and close to the town of Khan Yunis. Several Palestinians were reported injured.

The Israeli military said it was a routine operation against militants, but Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to disrupt the peace talks. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were to meet today at the King David hotel in Jerusalem to start a new process of talks in the wake of the Middle East conference in Annapolis late last month.

Palestinian officials have already complained about an Israeli decision last week to issue tenders for more than 300 houses in the East Jerusalem settlement of Har Homa. "The Israeli policy of escalation aims to sabotage and place obstacles before the negotiations even before they start," said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.

Most of the dead appeared to be members of Islamic Jihad, a small but hard line Palestinian militant group which has been responsible for firing makeshift rockets from Gaza into Israel. Around 60 Palestinians were detained in what was the largest Israeli operation in Gaza for several months. Palestinian fighters fired back and hit one Israeli tank.

Although Israeli and Palestinian leaders and negotiators have been meeting regularly for months, today's meeting marks the beginning of talks intended eventually to bring the creation of an independent Palestinian state.