NABI SALEH, West Bank — Israeli armor and infantry swept into a tiny Palestinian village near here Wednesday on a mission to root out militants, including suspects in the assassination of an Israeli Cabinet minister. At least six Palestinians were killed and nearly a dozen others captured.
The escalation came as Israel again ignored emphatic demands from the United States to withdraw from Palestinian-ruled territory it began occupying last week. In all, raids across the West Bank on Wednesday left at least 10 Palestinians dead and 20 arrested.
While the U.S., Russia and Europe condemned Israel's incursions, the Israeli commander for the West Bank, Brig. Gen. Gershon Yitzhak, said he is prepared to remain in Palestinian territory for as long as it takes to capture "several hundred" additional suspects.
There was speculation, however, that the sharp upsurge in Israeli military actions might presage a withdrawal--a final flurry before operations are scaled back. The capture or slaying of the killers of hard-line Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi would accomplish one of the chief goals cited by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in launching the incursions.
Battles raged again in Bethlehem on Wednesday, and Palestinians were killed, wounded or arrested in at least four other West Bank towns.
In the deadliest incident, Israeli troops and tanks, backed by combat helicopters, raided the village of Beit Rima at about 2 a.m. in what the military said was an operation to seize suspected militants and members of the group that killed Zeevi.
At least six Palestinians--perhaps as many as nine--were killed and 11 were captured in Beit Rima. There were no Israeli casualties, an army spokeswoman said.
Israelis and Palestinians offered contradictory accounts of what happened, and it was impossible to verify casualty figures, because the Israeli army sealed off Beit Rima and prohibited journalists from entering, holding them at a roadblock here in Nabil Saleh, about two miles away. Ambulances and rescue workers also were blocked.
The Palestinian Cabinet branded the raid a "criminal massacre" to be added to "Sharon's record of slaughter."
Villagers reached by telephone described a military operation that lasted until 5:30 a.m., with heavy shooting from tanks, troops and helicopters.
Villagers said the troops met little or no resistance.
