Israeli soldiers guard a bypass road in the West Bank north of Jerusalem.
On Tuesday a Jewish settler was assasinated by Palestinian gunmen while driving on the road. The militant Islamic Hamas organisation claimed responsibility for the murder. A senior Palestinian negotiator said Thursday the only way to end seven months of bloodshed was for Israel to accept an Arab peace proposal. See the story inside. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met her detained predecessor Joseph Estrada on Thursday just three days after security forces stopped his supporters from storming the presidential palace.