RAMALLAH Ñ Six supporters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have been killed in a bomb blast in the West Bank.

The six were identified as members of ruling Fatah movement as well as agents of the Palestinian Authority military intelligence agency, led by Arafat's nephew, Mussa Arafat. They were killed in a blast in the Fara refugee camp near the northern West Bank town of Tubas.

The reported circumstances of their death varied. Palestinian sources said an Israeli anti-tank missile slammed into the tin shack overnight Monday. Fatah militants in the Jenin area have pledged revenge.

"This is part of the Israeli assassination policy," PA Cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdul Rahman said.

Israeli military sources said the six who were killed were in a building full of explosives. The roof of the building was blown off in the explosion.

Meanwhile, Palestinian society continues to be rocked by internecine strife. Over the weekend, nine Palestinians were killed and more than 20 injured in a battle between two clans near the Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

The Hassanein clan was said to have killed Anwar Jarf, a Fatah member in Bani Sweileh. Jarf, wanted by Israeli authorities, was said to have killed a member of the Hassanein clan more than a decade ago.

Fatah gangs are said to have obtained control of large areas of the West Bank, seizing authority from PA officials. Israeli sources said Fatah gunmen command such cities as Nablus and PA officials consult with the ruling movement before making decisions.

The PA protects Hamas arsenals and weapons factories in Nablus and in Gaza. Hamas uses Nablus as a launching point for bombing attacks in Israel.

Another Hamas storehouse is said to be in the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

Hours later, Palestinian gunners fired four mortar shells toward the Jewish settlement of Nezer Hazani. Nobody was hurt in Monday's shelling. The firing capped a night of fighting in Gaza and the West Bank. This included battles near the southern Gaza city of Rafah in which Palestinian combatants fired anti-tank grenades.

The ceding of control by the PA is part of a trend in which armed gangs rather than a central government have seized authority in large parts of the West Bank. Arafat has encouraged Fatah and Hamas to cooperate in attacks and has ordered PA security forces to provide logistical support.

Fatah gunmen, the sources said, are briefed regularly on the Israeli-PA security dialogue. They said the coordination has been approved by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Four Israelis were injured in Palestinian shooting attacks on Sunday.

Israeli armored military vehicles entered into Palestinian areas to silence the sniper gunfire.

In Israel, authorities continued to be on alert for Palestinian bombings. In Jerusalem, a bomb exploded on Monday in the downtown shopping district. Nobody was hurt.

Earlier, a bomb exploded in an underground parking lot in the city.

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