Two Palestinians killed in violent West Bank incidents

Palestinians call it collective punishment and a land grab that denies them territory they want for a future state. The World Court in The Hague ruled in 2004 that building the barrier was illegal.

The barrier in Bilin cuts some 3 km (2 miles) into the village, separating some farmers from their fields.

Earlier Friday a Palestinian with a knife infiltrated a Jewish settlement in the southern part of the occupied West Bank and was shot dead by a security guard, the Israeli army said.

The Palestinian, described by Israeli media as being in his 20s, had "planned to carry out a terrorist attack" in Beit Haggai, a military spokeswoman said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from armed Palestinian factions.

A Beit Haggai settler who gave his name as Uziel told Army Radio that he and a neighbor were on a security patrol when they spotted the Palestinian walking among the houses.

"My friend asked him who he was, and the man drew a knife," Uziel said. "My friend took my gun and killed the terrorist."

Palestinians have been seeking a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the late 1980s but progress has been slow.

U.S. envoy George Mitchell was in the region Friday to sound out the sides on prospects for a two-state peace accord.

(Writing by Ori Lewis and Dan Williams, Editing by Jonathan Wright)