Car bomb explodes at Israeli checkpoint

KALANDIA CHECKPOINT, West Bank (AP) - A car bomb exploded Wednesday near a busy Israeli military checkpoint in the West Bank, killing a 60-year-old Palestinian man and wounding at least 13 people, including both Palestinians and Israelis, officials said.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a violent group with ties to Yasser Arafat's ruling Fatah movement, claimed responsibility. In a telephone call to The Associated Press, a member of the group said the car was blown up by remote control, and that the bombing was meant to avenge the killing of a leader of the group by Israel last month.

The blast killed 60-year-old Salah Abu Sneineh, and wounded three members of his family, including a 6-year-old grandson who was seriously wounded, hospital officials in the nearby West Bank town of Ramallah said.

Ten of the wounded were Palestinians and three were Israeli border police, said Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman.

Israel Radio said Israeli security forces went on high alert about an hour before the explosion at the Kalandia checkpoint, located between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

Palestinian security services said the car exploded near the checkpoint, where Israeli soldiers check the identity cards of thousands of Palestinians crossing every day on foot or in cars. Five other vehicles were damaged in the blast.

Near the checkpoint, a pool of blood was visible on the ground. Firefighters put out a fire in one of the cars and a thick plume of smoke rose into the air.