HIGHLIGHTS: Occupation Forces Leave Bethlehem Empty Handed||Palestinian Dies of Heavy Machine Gunfire as He Stood in His Balcony in Tulkarem||Curfew Imposed on Qalqiliya||STORY: Israeli tanks and occupation troops swept into the West Bank city of Qalqiliya on Sunday after withdrawing from Bethlehem overnight as Israel stepped up such raids into Palestinian-ruled areas after four Resistance bombings in a week (Read photo caption)

Occupation troops raided Qalqiliya before dawn in what the occupation army said was a bid to thwart what it calls "terror attacks" being planned in the city.

Israeli occupation forces left Bethlehem apparently empty-handed after failing to find a leader of the militant Islamic Jihad group.

The army declined to comment on an Israeli Army radio report that Muhammad Shada, a local Islamic Jihad leader, had eluded troops, but said they had detained one wanted Palestinian.

"A curfew has been imposed on (Qalqiliya) and our forces are carrying out sweeps and arrests in order to prevent terrorists from leaving the city," the army said in a statement.

GROWING TENSION

The latest raids crowned a week of growing tension that has alarmed international leaders trying to revive peace talks after 20 months of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed.

At least 1,371 Palestinians and 480 Israelis have been killed since a Palestinian revolt against Israeli occupation erupted in September 2000 amid a deadlock in negotiations.

Palestinian witnesses said Israeli tanks opened fire in Tulkarm on Saturday. Hospital sources said a 55-year-old man was killed by heavy machinegun fire as he stood on his balcony.

Earlier in the day, the occupation army imposed a curfew on Tulkarm after a two-day raid in which one occupation soldier was killed and two were wounded. Eight Palestinians were wounded and four detained.

PHOTO CAPTION

Atop an armored vehicle, an Israeli Army soldier scans nearby buildings for snipers, during a patrol along the streets of the West Bank city of Tulkarem, just over the "Green Line" which separates Israel from Palestinian territory, Saturday, May 25, 2002. Military operations in Tulkarem entered the second day in the search for militants. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
- May 25 2:56 PM ET