Reports: Gunmen Targeted Olmert

JERUSALEM — Palestinian Arab gunmen planned to assassinate Prime Minister Olmert when he came to the West Bank in August to meet with the Palestinian Arab president, Israeli media cited a security chief as telling Israel's Cabinet today.

Shin Bet director Yuval Diskin told the Cabinet that a convoy was to be attacked as it entered the West Bank town of Jericho on August 6, the Haaretz newspaper reported.

Israel notified Palestinian Arab authorities of the plan, and an unspecified number of militants — affiliated with Fatah — were arrested, the newspaper said.

Although the men admitted they planned the attack, the Palestinian Authority released them last week, media reported.

Mr. Olmert's office has protested their release to Mr. Abbas, the newspaper said. A government spokeswoman was unable to immediately confirm the report.