WEST BANK: PALESTINIAN RIOTERS CLASH WITH ISRAELI POLICE
(5 Jul 1997) English/Nat Palestinian rioters threw rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli soldiers in Hebron on Saturday, as Jewish settlers taunted them by cursing the Prophet Mohammed. Tensions there flared a week ago after a Jewish woman hung posters portraying the prophet of Islam as a pig. But there were only minor injuries on both sides. The Palestinian Cabinet has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of freezing the peace process and warned if the deadlock continues "it could trigger an explosion throughout the entire region." Another day of unrest in Hebron, although less violent than last week. Palestinian rioters again threw rocks and petrol bombs at Israeli soldiers. They replied with volleys of rubber bullets. Tensions flared a week ago after a Jewish woman put up posters portraying the prophet of Islam as a pig. And on Saturday, about a dozen Jewish settlers tried to provoke the Palestinians, shouting "Mohammed is the son of a whore" and "Mohammed is a pig." Other settlers succeeded in silencing them. There were some minor injuries on both sides, but nothing on the scale of earlier this week. On Friday, at least 29 Palestinians were injured, including one in critical condition after being shot in the head by a rubber bullet, and a pipe bomb wounded an Israeli soldier. There have been sporadic riots in the West Bank for three months, since Israel began building a new Jewish neighbourhood in disputed east Jerusalem causing a break in peace talks. The clashes became more violent since the poster of Mohammed as a pig appeared last week. The Palestinian Cabinet on Saturday accused Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu of freezing the peacemaking and called for an international conference and an Arab summit to revive it. Speaking on Friday night, the chief Palestinian Negotiator said Netanyahu's outdated thinking was killing any hopes of peace. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Mr. Netanyahu still continues to live in the past, he continues to give the orders of the past and the language of the past, settlements, confiscation of land, demolishing of homes, non-implementation of the agreements, fait accompli policies, unilateral decisions have all led to the killing of the idea of peace in the minds of Palestinians and Israelis." SUPER CAPTION: Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian Negotiator If the deadlock continues, the cabinet warned in its statement, "it could trigger an explosion throughout the entire region." 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...
