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Israeli-Palestinian Violence Flares Anew at Erez Checkpoint
As the peace summit in Sharm el Sheikh enters its second day, flash clashes erupted Tuesday between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters at the Erez checkpoint on the border between Israel and the Palestinian self-rule Gaza Strip.
The demonstrators hurled stones and firebombs at Israeli soldiers posted in the District Coordination Office, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, security sources said.
The sources added that a number of Palestinians had been wounded during the clashes.
Meanwhile, it was reported that Israel Defense Forces positions at the Rafah checkpoint on the Israeli-Egyptian border was attacked Tuesday morning by gunfire.
Shots were fired from two directions at the position and soldiers fired back. There are no reports about Palestinian injuries.
The new violence flared anew when the emergency Mideast summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh is in a desperate search for ways to end the 19-day-old clashes on the ground, which have killed more than 100 people and injured 3,000, most of them Palestinian.
The summit that gathered Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other leaders began on Monday, with no substantial progress reported until now.
But the clashes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip resurges on Monday after days of relative calm and a Palestinian boy and a policeman were killed during the clashes, scores wounded.
Israeli troops maintained siege slapped on the Palestinian areas days ago. An army statement issued Monday night said the army would not allow Israeli citizens or troops to be harmed, and would use all methods at its disposal to protect Israeli communities in the region.
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