• Violence in Jenin, Hebron, Burkin
• Hezbollah claims responsibility for Lebanon blast
• Relates stories and sites

November 26, 1998
Web posted at: 8:50 p.m. EST (0150 GMT)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- For the first time since last month's signing of the latest Middle East accord, violent confrontations erupted Thursday between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in three areas of the West Bank. No serious injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, in south Lebanon, the death of two Israeli soldiers from a guerrilla bomb has led to new calls for an end to Israel's 20-year occupation of the area. Among those calling for a pullout was former Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Speaking while on a trip to Britain, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to review security arrangements in south Lebanon, where five Israeli soldiers have died in the past 10 days. But he said a pullout could only take place if arrangements can be made to ensure Israel's security needs and to protect its militia allies in the area.

"As soon as we find a way to withdraw forces without abandoning the need and the ability to defend our northern villages and towns ... we shall withdraw from Lebanon," Netanyahu said.

Violence in Jenin, Hebron, Burkin

In the West Bank, on the outskirts of the city of Jenin, Israeli troops fired rubber-coated bullets into a crowd of about 100 Palestinian protesters after they threw stones and marched towards the soldiers' compound. Two Palestinians suffered minor injuries.

In the tensely divided city of Hebron, scuffles broke out between Jewish settlers and Palestinian schoolchildren.

Palestinian witnesses said the melee began when adults from their settlement tried to prevent Palestinian schoolchildren, on their way to a field trip, from walking by the settlers' compound. But Israeli police said the 40 children, led by their principal, were holding an illegal protest in front of the settlers' homes.

The principal and three others were detained for questioning. Twelve Palestinian students were seen by doctors but did not suffer any lasting injury.

In the village of Burkin, about 2,000 Palestinians and 15 Israeli peace activists briefly stopped bulldozers being used to build a controversial road through land that critics claim was confiscated from Palestinians.

The demonstrators threw stones, and Israeli troops guarding the site responded by firing in the air and lobbing tear gas to disperse the crowd.

In all three cases, Palestinian police appeared to do little to control their citizens. In Burkin, police watched from their command post but did not get involved. After warnings from Israeli officers, Palestinian police finally persuaded protesters to pull back.

Hezbollah claims responsibility for Lebanon blast

In Lebanon, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah group took responsibility for the roadside bomb in south Lebanon that killed two Israeli soldiers overnight Wednesday.

In the wake of the most recent violence, public pressure is mounting within Israel to bring soldiers home from what many believe is a losing battle against Hezbollah guerrillas fighting to oust Israeli forces.

Peres, the former Labor Party prime minister, said there was "no alternative" to pulling out Israeli troops. He said the threat of massive military retaliation would work as a deterrent to future terrorist activity.

But the current Labor leader, Ehud Barak, disagreed, saying it would be "irresponsible" for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon unilaterally without a comprehensive agreement that includes Syria, the main power broker in Lebanon.

Reuters contributed to this report.