Israel's top general has threatened to destroy hundreds of Palestinian refugee homes after the Supreme Court cleared the way for demolitions in the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
"Hundreds of houses have been marked for destruction," a senior official quoted Israeli army chief Moshe Yaalon telling the cabinet at its weekly meeting today.
Refusing to extend a stay sought by a Palestinian rights group, the court appeared to set broad terms for bulldozing homes in the Philadelphi zone, saying the Israeli army could destroy houses for operational purposes or to protect soldiers.
Seven Israeli soldiers were killed in or near the area in violence that claimed the lives of 13 soldiers on operations in Gaza in the past week.
Israeli officials say the Philadelhi buffer must be widened to prevent militants smuggling weapons in by tunnel from Egypt.
UN relief officials estimate that Israeli armoured bulldozers flattened more than 80 buildings in Rafah in recent days, leaving about 1,100 Palestinians homeless. The army said it demolished structures used by gunmen.
US secretary of State Colin Powell has said the United States opposed the destruction of the homes. Speaking in Jordan he said: "We know that Israel has a right for self-defence but the kind of action they are taking in Rafah with the destruction of Palestinian homes we oppose. We don't think that is productive."
Mr Powell also rebuked Palestinain leader, Mr Yasser Arafat for urging Palestinians to "terrorise the enemy", saying he was making it "exceptionally difficult" to move the peace process forward.
Mr Arafat told reporters in the West Bank that demolitions carried out so far in Rafah were another example of Israel's "sinful aggression against our people and our land".