The Palestinian leadership today warned the Israeli government not to deport the detained families of suicide bombers and other militants from the West Bank to Gaza, saying it would lead to further explosions of violence.

The Israeli army earlier today arrested 16 close relatives of Palestinian militants linked to suicide and other attacks in the West Bank, and destroyed two houses. Public radio said that 21 had been rounded up.

Israeli ministers threatened to deport the family members if the government's legal advisers cleared the move. If they were deported it would be the first time since the start of the Palestinian uprising in September 2000 that Israel carried out such a measure of collective punishment, which human rights groups say is forbidden under international conventions.

"The Palestinian Authority warns Israel not to take any step to transfer Palestinians," said Nabil Abu Rudeina, a top adviser to Yassir Arafat.

"This policy of transferring Palestinians will not help international efforts to protect the peace process, but will lead to more violence and an explosion in this area. We ask the Israeli government to stop this policy," he said.

Israel has become increasingly frustrated that its massive military operations in the West Bank have failed to stem the suicide bombers, two more of whom struck in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, killing three other people.