OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, June 18 2003 - Israel and the Palestinians appeared determined Wednesday to pursue ceasefire efforts ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, although the killing of a seven-year-old Israeli girl shattered a brief lull in violence.
Noam Leibowicz was shot dead Tuesday night while traveling with her family in a car inside Israeli territory close to the West Bank. The gunman reportedly used a pneumatic saw to hack his way under a protective wall and into Israel's side of the Green Line separating it from the West Bank. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack and Israeli security forces were still combing the area for the assailant on Wednesday.
The latest violence came amid a flurry of diplomatic activity and both parties were continuing their attempts to impose a cooling-down period.
