Israeli tanks fired shells at a Palestinian security post at the entrance of the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, wounding at least one person, Palestinian security and medical officials said.

"Without provocation or warning, the Israelis have fired five tank shells at the Palestinian security checkpoint at the entrance to Ramallah," Palestinian Preventive Security chief in the West Bank, Jibril al-Rajoub, told Reuters.

A Palestinian girl was wounded in the head by shrapnel, hospital officials said.

The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the strike.

On Saturday night, Palestinian gunmen shot dead an Israeli married couple and wounded their two infant children as well as another relative as the family drove along a West Bank road near Jerusalem.

Israel's military has often retaliated for such attacks by bombarding Palestinian security targets in an 11-month-old Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip which erupted after peace talks stalled.

(Chinadaily.com.cn 08/27/2001)