Middle East crisis Three Israelis and three Palestinians died on Tuesday in a series of attacks that pushed the issue of Jewish settlements to the forefront of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Settlements are the focus of much of the fighting and the deepest source of Palestinian grievance.
Since the conflict began, more Israeli civilians have died in the West Bank and Gaza than inside Israel itself. Many of the Palestinians killed have died in clashes with Israeli soldiers protecting settlements. Settlers view themselves as the first line of defence for Israel, and argue that if the settlements did not exist as a target, Palestinians would be aiming their guns and mortars at population centres in Jerusalem, Ashkelon and Tel Aviv. They are among the most outspoken critics of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's week-old policy of restraint. To them, Gilad Zar died a hero.