Palestinian fighters have shot and killed an Israeli settler and wounded others near the West Bank town of Hebron, according to Aljazeera.

Aljazeera's correspondent in Hebron reported on Friday that Israeli troops subsequently stormed al-Fawar refugee camp and the neighbouring Yata township and imposed curfew on both.

The Israeli army and rescue services said that, after the killing, the fighters drove on to fire at an Israeli car and injured one passenger.

The fighters fired from their car at a group of Israelis at a hitch-hiking post not far from the Jewish settlement of Beit Haggai.

The fighters opened fire just as the hitch-hikers were getting into a car, the army said. One hitch-hiker was killed and three others were wounded, before the fighters drove on.

Minutes later, the fighters fired at an Israeli car, lightly wounding one passenger, the army said.

Protesters hurt

Also on Friday, Israeli troops seized 15 Palestinian homes in Atil village north of Tulkarim in the West Bank.

Aljazeera's correspondent said occupation forces seized homes in Alar village for the fifth consecutive day.

The Israeli army earlier began a large-scale military operation in four villages in the area known as al-Sharawiya villages. The Israelis also sealed the entrances to the villages, the correspondent said.

In another development, several people among them soldiers, Palestinains and peace activisits were injured in clashes when protesters staged a rally against Israel's separation wall.

Also on Friday, several Palestinians were arrested in connection with the killing of a police officer in the West Bank town of Jenin.

Palestinian police swept through Jenin in a hunt for the armed men who killed an officer in a shooting on a police station on Thursday.

Eight armed men were arrested, Palestinian security services said.

But Said Amin - a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a group linked to Abbas's ruling Fatah movement - remained at large.

Forces determined

Palestinian security forces said they were determined to hunt down and arrest Amin, accused of leading the group that carried out the attack on the police station.

During one arrest raid early on Friday, an armed man holed up in a building and fired on the dozens of officers who came to arrest him.

A 10-minute gun battle ensued, with officers crouching behind buildings and inside houses, before police stormed the armed man's hiding place and arrested him. No one was injured.

On Thursday, after firing on the police station and killing the officer, the group headed to the house of Jamal Shati, a Palestinian lawmaker, and burned his car.

After the late-night attacks, dozens of police, some in jeeps, some on foot, cordoned off parts of the town, the refugee camp and the surrounding area. 

Condolences

President Mahmoud Abbas called the dead policeman's family to express his condolences and pledged to arrest those responsible. The policeman's family said he would not be buried until the armed men were rounded up.

Aljazeera correspondent in Palestine said representatives from al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades had informed the Palestinian authority that  the armed men were  not affiliated to their ranks and that they were prepared to assist in arresting the culprits.

Zakariya Zubeidi, the local brigades leader, said his movement was not involved in the attacks.

Later on Friday, Zubeidi went to the town hall to offer his assistance in capturing the rest of the armed men.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli soldiers stand near a body of Israeli settler at Beth Haggay settlement junction near the West Bank city Hebron June 24, 2005. (REUTERS)