Officials say the towering D-9 bulldozer has been modified, to eliminate the risk to drivers.

The original US-made vehicle has been used to demolish hundreds of buildings linked to Palestinian militants in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians say the new version will mean more buildings will be destroyed - and more lives will be lost.

'Will save lives'

Standing as high as a small house, the armour-plated bulldozer has been used to knock down buildings, flatten olive groves and clear paths for advancing soldiers.

Protected by army back-up, the D-9 is controlled by a driver in a cab who has to operate on the frontlines in some of the most hostile areas.

The Israeli army said the modified versions will save lives.

"Today the bulldozer drivers are exposed to great danger when they knock down buildings that have militants hiding in them," Israel's Technion Institute of Technology, which developed the robot version, quoted an unnamed army officer as saying.

The D-9 gained notoriety when it demolished dozens of buildings in the Palestinian city of Jenin during one of the fiercest battles of the conflict, in April 2002.

An American pro-Palestinian activist, Rachel Corrie*, was killed with an Israeli bulldozer while trying to stop a house demolition in Gaza in March. (* BBC/Corrie: http://tinyurl.com/t86b )

'Despicable idea'

Palestinians have denounced the development, saying it will lead to greater loss of life.

"The whole idea is despicable," said chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

"If an unmanned bulldozer is used, human life is in much greater danger."

The human rights group Amnesty International has said house demolitions violate international law.

Israel says demolitions are necessary to prevent militants using buildings for cover and to deter attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers.

The new bulldozers are expected to go into service, in the next few weeks.

Story from BBC NEWS: Published: 2003/10/31 17:50:28 GMT http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/3231665.stm

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said in many reports released earlier, that Israel is breaking the Geneva Convention and is permanently abusing human rights by punishing Palestinians with indiscriminate securitymeasures.

- "Unlawful killings of Palestinians continue as a result of the virtually complete impunity offered to Israeli soldiers who kill Palestinians," read part of the report. Amnesty-URL: http://tinyurl.com/t87m

FOREIGN PRESS FOUNDATION http://tinyurl.com/paii Editor : Henk Ruyssenaars http://tinyurl.com/sanr The Netherlands fpf@c...

The Dutch author worked for many decades for international A/V media as foreign correspondent, of which 10 years - also during Gulf War I - in the Arab World and the Middle East. Seeing that every bullet and every bomb breeds more terrorism !

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