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Rocks, rubber bullets fly as tension mounts in Hebron
Latest developments:
June 17, 1997
Web posted at: 6:18 p.m. EDT (2218 GMT)HEBRON, West Bank (CNN) -- Israeli troops fired rubber bullets Tuesday on the fourth day of clashes with Palestinian protesters. At least 17 demonstrators were hurt, three critically, and two Israeli soldiers were injured by rocks.
Tuesday's clashes began when about 100 Palestinians began throwing stones at Israeli soldiers guarding Jewish enclaves in Hebron. The troops held their fire until they were taunted by a Palestinian who burned an Israeli flag.
Rami Obeido carefully unfurled the flag, set it ablaze and carried it toward Israeli soldiers, until he was struck by three rubber bullets in his back and leg and was slightly injured.
The 26-year-old Obeido, a nine-year veteran of stone-throwing protests, said the pain of being hit was worth the humiliation he felt he had inflicted on the soldiers by burning the flag.
"I don't care if I become a martyr. As long as blood runs in my veins, I will continue fighting the Israelis," he said.
Three of the injured Palestinians were in serious condition, including a boy and an elderly man struck in the head.
Dozens of Palestinians have been injured in clashes since Saturday, as tensions rise over the deadlock in
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.As with other recent protests, no security police of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat were anywhere near the scene. There is no apparent security cooperation between the two forces on this front.
Both sides point fingers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders accuse Arafat of deliberately stirring up trouble.
"They've decided to start the violence in this area. and our people, they will try to block them," said Avigdor Kahalane, Israeli minister of internal security.
But one Palestinian demonstrator said the protests had flared up, because there still is no secure peace, which protesters blame squarely on the conservative Netanyahu.
Palestinians are angry over Netanyahu's policy of constructing Jewish settlements in disputed areas, thereby increasing the likelihood of more clashes.
"It seems to me that Mr. Netanyahu has given the green light to settlers to take the law into their own hands," said chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
In the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians say an Israeli settlement is being expanded, 100 Palestinians staged a
sit-in outside the Jewish settlement of Morag to protest what they said was an illegal seizure of private Palestinian land.
Israeli soldiers in nearby sand dunes fired tear gas at them. Later, 10 right-wing Israeli legislators planted olive trees on the disputed property.
Settlers used tractors Monday to drive Palestinians off disputed land. Both Israeli and Palestinian security forces worked hard, but separately, to keep the warring factions apart.
In Hebron, residents are striving for a semblance of normality, but few can see how the grievously wounded Palestinian-Israeli relationship can be healed.
Egypt sounds a warning
For its part, Egypt said for the first time Tuesday that its mission to renew talks between Israel and the Palestinians has failed.
The peace process is going through "a huge crisis," Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said in Cairo. "There is a huge gap that still exists."
Correspondent Jerrold Kessel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Opposition appeals decision not to indict Netanyahu - April 21, 1997
- Netanyahu government secure ... for now - April 20, 1997
- No indictment for Netanyahu - April 20, 1997
- Reports say Netanayahu won't be indicted, but crisis isn't over - April 19, 1997
- Decision on Netanyahu prosecution due Sunday
- Netanyahu says he won't quit amid Israeli corruption scandal - April 17, 1997
- Police report is 'political earthquake' for Netanyahu - April 16, 1997
- Netanyahu attorney: Police recommend his indictment - April 16, 1997
Related sites:
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- Police: Indict Netanyahu - Jerusalem Post / April 17, 1997
- Police recommend indicting Netanyahu in Bar-On Affair - Jewish Telegraphic Agency / April 17, 1997
- Benjamin Netanyahu - Likud Party site
- The Knesset - Israel's parliament
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