A Palestinian militant shot and killed two Israeli security guards early Friday at a factory along the divide between Israel and the West Bank, the military said - an attack likely to further complicate efforts to forge a peace deal between the Jewish state and Palestinian moderates. Medics pronounced the two middle-aged guards dead at the scene, rescue services said, and troops began combing surrounding areas for traces of the assailant. No Palestinian militant group immediately claimed responsibility.

Riad al-Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, condemned the attack, saying it was meant "to undermine the efforts by the Palestinian government to undertake full security responsibilities in the West Bank." The attack was also meant to embarrass Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas while he is in Washington for meetings with U.S. officials, al-Malki said.

Any Israeli-Palestinian peace deal will have to include an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank to make room for a Palestinian state. For that to happen, Israel says the Palestinians must keep their gunmen in check. Israel has argued that attacks like Friday's prove Palestinian authorities are not yet capable of controlling militants.

"This was a clear example of extremism and terrorism by those seeking to foil any prospects for advancing peace between Israel and the Palestinians," Israeli government spokesman David Baker said.

Israel's military regularly carries out arrest raids targeting militants in the West Bank, and Israel has refused Palestinian calls to cease such operations and allow Palestinian security forces to take control. Under a U.S.-backed peace, Palestinians are supposed to dismantle violent groups.

The military said the gunman approached the two guards while they were screening workers entering the small industrial zone of Nitzanei Shalom, opened fire and then escaped, the military said.

The industrial zone is located on the line between Israel and the West Bank. It contains five Israeli factories that employ Palestinians.

Palestinian security officials in the nearby town of Tulkarem said soldiers moved into the West Bank in force after the attack and set up a checkpoint. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

The West Bank is controlled by Abbas' moderate government, which is negotiating a peace deal with Israel. There have been few shooting attacks in the area in recent years.

Most current Israeli-Palestinian violence is limited to the Gaza Strip, ruled by Abbas' rivals from the Islamic group Hamas. Israeli troops regularly clash in the coastal territory with militants who attack border positions and fire rockets at Israeli towns.

Hamas announced Thursday that it would be prepared to accept a cease-fire with Israel in Gaza, dropping an earlier demand that any truce immediately include the West Bank as well.

Hamas wants Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza's border crossings, imposed to weaken Hamas' rule and end the ongoing rocket fire. But Israel fears such a move would allow Hamas, which seized control of Gaza last June, to smuggle in weapons and expand its already considerable arsenal to prepare for a future round of fighting.

On Friday, Israel rejected the proposal.

"To Israel's dismay, Hamas is not serious. It's playing games, trying to buy time in order to regroup and rearm," said Baker, the government spokesman.

"There would be no need for Israel's defensive measures if Hamas discontinued its terrorist activities against Israel. Israel will continue to take all measures to defend its civilians," he said.

Written By AMI BENTOV

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