9 Die in New Mideast Violence

Sept. 10 -- After a weekend of bloody violence, Israeli tanks and helicopters launched a round of retaliatory attacks on Palestinian security positions today.

A Palestinian security officer was killed near the West Bank town of Jenin today in an Israeli military retaliation for two suicide bomb attacks and a drive-by shooting over the weekend.

Five Israelis and three Arabs were killed in Sunday's attacks and several others were injured.

Although the attacks appeared to cast a shadow on plans for truce talks between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to be held sometime this week, both sides have indicated talks have not been ruled out.

"The strategy for peace continues," an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told Reuters today.

First Israeli Arab Suspect

Security was tight across the region following Sunday's round of violence, the worst of which took place in the northern Israeli town of Naharia.

For the first time in a year since the current intifada began, an Israeli Arab was a suspect in a suicide bombing, which killed the bomber and three other Israelis. At least 40 people were wounded in the blast.

The attack took place at the busy Nahariya railway station during the start of the Israeli work week. Witnesses told Israeli media a bearded man bumped into a number of people at the station before a gift-wrapped box he was carrying exploded.

According to Israeli media reports, the suspect for the bombing was Muhammad Saker Habashi, an Israel citizen who once ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor in the northern Israeli village of Abu Snan.

But a statement released by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's officesaid Habashi's identity had yet to be confirmed with forensic tests.

Security Problems

A possible suicide bomb attack by an Israeli citizen was expected to make security in the region even more difficult. Amid threats to introduce a buffer zone along the 1967 borders separating Israel from the West Bank, Israel's security Cabinet met to discuss latest security measures today.