Israel seals off Palestinian areas for holiday

"Based on a decision by the political authorities and the assessment of the situation, a complete closure of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and the Gaza Strip will start on Friday ... through to the Yom Kippur," which ends on Monday night, Israel's army said in a statement.

The holiday -- during which airports, ports and borders are closed -- is the holiest in Judaism.

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Israel also appeared determined to extend the separation barrier which will cut deep into the West Bank and expand three settlements, aggravating its US ally which warned the moves would stand in the way of the already waning peace process.

A first section of the barrier, which is aimed at preventing infiltrations by Palestinians militants, was completed in July and the Israeli cabinet has just approved the phased construction of the next part.

US President George W. Bush has repeatedly called the separation fence "a problem" and urged the Israeli government to review its route.

In an attempt to appease Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced last week that large settlement blocs would not be included inside the main barrier.

But the separate horseshoe-shaped fences built around the communities will be later linked to the barrier, meaning a de facto annexation of large stretches of Palestinian land.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell told the Washington Post he was not fooled by the plan in an interview published Saturday.

"The gaps in and of themselves, do not satisfy me... The question is, what becomes of the gaps in due course?

"The more you intrude into Palestinian areas, and the more it looks like it could be a contiguous intrusion around large sections of Palestinian land that would prejudge subsequent negotiations as to what a Palestinian state may look like, that's a problem," he said.

Palestinians charge the Israeli fence aims to grab more West Bank land so as to push their future state's borders eastwards and substantially reduce its size.

"The Israeli government decision to continue building this wall shows it is not serious in its quest for a peaceful settlement and intends to unilaterally determine borders and prevent the establishment of a viable Palestinian state," Palestinian prime-minister designate Ahmed Qorei said Friday.

Meanwhile, two Palestinians, including an 18-month-old baby boy, died of critical head injuries Saturday, Palestinian medics said.

The child was named as Abdelqader al-Badrasawi. He had been wounded by Israeli tank fire last Thursday in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Said Qassem, 42, died of injuries he had sustained six months ago when Jewish settlers opened fire in his direction near the northern West Bank town of Jenin.