Curfew imposed on Hebron's heart

Israel imposed a curfew early Friday morning on the area surrounding the so-called Jewish enclave of settlers in the heart of Hebron, West Bank. The move followed reports that an Israeli settler's car came under fire as it passed through the area late on Thursday night.

Palestinian residents of the area said they did not know of any Palestinian involved in the alleged shooting incident that night. Some even believe the shooting came from another Jewish settler who passed in the road the minute the car drove along.

A reliable source within the Palestinian side of the joint liaison office with Israel in Hebron said the Israeli side of coordinating committee admitted the shooting was carried out by a Jewish settler and not by a Palestinian. "They promised to lift the curfew soon," the source said.

Meanwhile, Israeli police arrested a Jewish settler accused of burning Palestinian farming fields, Map reported. Palestinian farmers had complained on May 25 that haystacks were burnt by Jewish settlers in the West Bank where the suspect, Baruch Shreiber, lives.

The Palestinian farmers said three settlers on horses burnt ten haystacks.

Last Saturday, an Israeli extremist was arrested for participating with two other accomplices in anti-Palestinian looting acts in Al Khalil, the West Bank.

Disguised as an Arab, he had broken the glass of Palestinian cars, according to witnesses.