WRAP Funerals + peace march + reax + Fatah rally

(31 Dec 2001) Gaza 1. Funeral 2. Bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags been carried out of hospital 3. Family members crying 4. Palestinians carrying the bodies in the funeral procession 5. People chanting 6. Close shot body 7. Funeral Jerusalem 8. Arie Mekel, Israeli government spokesman 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Arie Mekel, Israeli Government Spokesman: "We would hope on the eve of the new year that the Palestinian terror attacks that have been waged against us in the last 15 months would finally stop and that the year 2002 will finally be a year of peace, instead of what we have seen in 2001." 10. Mekel seated Bethlehem 11. Long shot march 12. Peace activists marching 13. Activists approaching Israeli roadblock (First Run 1350 FLASH, 31 Dec 2001) 14. Various of protesters approaching security blocade 15. Various shots of blockade 16. Religious leaders at front of crowd of protesters facing blockade 17. Wide of protesters and blockade Ramallah, West Bank, 31/12-APTN: 18. Long shot march 19. Palestinians marching with banners and flags 20. Fatah activists walking with guns 21. People chanting 22. Various of children carrying Palestinian flags 23. Close up of girl holding Palestinian flag 24. Various of children marching holding flags and playing drums STORYLINE: Hundreds of people have attended the funeral of three Palestinians who were shot dead by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night. All together, six Palestinians were killed in two separate confrontations near the border with the Gaza Strip. The shootings came only hours after senior Israeli officials had said that attacks by Palestinian militants had dropped significantly since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's speech two weeks ago, calling for a cessation of violence. In the first shooting, troops in an armoured vehicle shot dead three Palestinians crouching 20 metres (yards) from the perimeter fence of the Jewish settlement of Alei Sinai at the northern edge of the northern Gaza Strip, the army said. The army initially said the Palestinians had opened fire on the troops, but later retracted the statement. Palestinian witnesses in a nearby village said the Israeli forces fired at least four tank shells and machine guns. Back in October, two Palestinian attackers entered the settlement and killed two Israelis before being killed themselves. Several hours later and only a short distance away, Israeli soldiers shot dead three armed Palestinians who had crossed Gaza's northern border and entered Israel, according to a statement issued by the office of Ariel Sharon. The trio was spotted by Israeli forces and ordered to halt. One of the Palestinian gunmen opened fire, and all three were killed by Israeli return fire, Sharon's office said. In the West Bank city of Bethlehem, meanwhile, a group of Palestinian and foreign peace activists began a march to protest the Israeli closer on the city. The march is to end in the old city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem's patriarch, Michele Sabbah, led the march which began on Sunday morning from the centre of Bethlehem toward the Israeli checkpoint between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Israeli activists are to join the group in Jerusalem and later the day they are planning to hold a peace circle near the walls of the old city of Jerusalem. Heavy Israeli security forces were brought on Sunday morning to the Bethlehem roadblock to prevent the Palestinians protesters from entering the Jerusalem. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...