TEL AVIV Ñ Israel has been rocked by a new wave of Palestinian attacks as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left for the United States.

Officials said four Israelis were killed in the latest attacks on Thursday. They said Israel has received intelligence alerts of additional Palestinian attacks planned for the weekend.

On Thursday evening, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up on an Israeli passenger bus outside a military camp near the northern city of Hadera. Israeli officials said three passengers as well as the bomber were killed in the attack. Nine others were injured.

The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing. The group said the bomber lived near the West Bank city of Jenin. A wing of the Fatah movement led by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat also claimed responsibility.

Earlier in the evening, an Israeli soldier was killed in a Palestinian shooting attack near the West Bank city of Tulkarm. Other Palestinian shooting attacks on Israelis were reported throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The PA condemned the suicide bombing. The condemnation was issued as Palestinian security chiefs were convening with U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni.

Zinni, a retired general and former chief of Central Command, was sent by Secretary of State Colin Powell to implement an Israeli-PA ceasefire.

Hours after the wave of attacks, Sharon left for the United States on early Friday. Sharon, who will meet President George Bush next week, blamed Arafat for the attacks.

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