Israeli soldiers shot dead six Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during Wednesday night, military sources said.

They said five unarmed men were killed near the Karni crossing point into Israel, while the sixth was trying to infiltrate an Israeli settlement.

The five were said to have been trying to climb a border fence in an area banned to Palestinians when they were shot.

It is not known whether they were militants or unemployed labourers wanting to find work in Israel.

In the other incident, a Palestinian man was killed after trying to cut through a fence at the Gush Katif settlement bloc while an accomplice managed to flee towards the town of Khan Younis, army sources said.

The militant Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has said it was behind the Gush Katif incident, claiming it was carried out to mark the 35th anniversary of the group's founding.

Arafat and Bethlehem

In another development, Israel has told the Vatican that troops will leave the West Bank town of Bethlehem over Christmas provided there is no "terrorist alert".

The promise was made at a meeting in Rome between Pope John Paul and Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

The Vatican used the meeting to urge Israel to allow free access to Bethlehem during the Christmas celebrations.

Earlier this week, an adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should not be allowed to attend a church service in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve.

Mr Arafat is, meanwhile, considering whether Palestinian elections scheduled for January should go ahead.

Arafat has the final say on the holding of elections

The Palestinian committee organising the election said it would announce its recommendation on the matter next Monday.

However it complained that it was unable to carry out its work "as a result of the Israeli occupation".

The presidential and legislative elections were called by Mr Arafat for 20 January after domestic and international pressure for reform of the Palestinian Authority.

Barghouti defeated

One of Mr Arafat's most outspoken Palestinian critics failed in an attempt to halt Israeli legal proceedings against him on Thursday.

West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti argued that a Tel Aviv court had no right to try him because he is a member of the Palestinian parliament.

Mr Barghouti's lawyer said an appeal would be lodged against the court's decision to reject his challenge.

Barghouti: First major figure in the intifada to be tried by Israel

The ruling was attacked by a senior Palestinian official, Saeb Erekat, who told Reuters news agency it was "political, not legal".

Israeli forces seized Mr Barghouti in April. He is standing trial on charges of murder, incitement to murder, and belonging to and acting on behalf of a terror organisation.

Mr Barghouti, who is in his early 40s, is among the most popular of the younger generation of Palestinian leaders.