Foreign protesters clash with troops
Jerusalem Post
By News Agencies
www.jpost.com
RAMALLAH (December 30) - Soldiers confronted about 100 demonstrators, including
Palestinians and British, French, and Italian citizens, who set ablaze an empty
army post near Ramallah yesterday to protest against Israeli "harassment and
intimidation."
Dozens of demonstrators from the "international solidarity movement" also tried
to escort Palestinian students to nearby Bir Zeit University, which they have
had difficulties reaching due to the Israeli blockade.
The foreigners have been taking non-violent action for the past 10 days and plan
to return home soon. They also tried to topple concrete slabs serving as a
checkpoint close to Ramallah.
Witnesses said soldiers fired warning shots near some 100 Palestinians and
foreigners, mainly French and Italian, who marched toward five Israeli tanks at
a checkpoint south of Nablus.
"If you want real peace, the occupation must end. You are strangers here," a
protester called through a loudspeaker in the direction of the tanks.
In Jerusalem on Friday, as Israeli and Palestinian peace campaigners celebrated
the opening of a peace center, several dozen Arabs and Jews faced off in angry
shouting matches in the street below.
Dovish political leaders and hundreds of peace activists jammed the New Imperial
Hotel inside the Old City and signed a declaration calling for an end to 15
months of bloodletting and a return to peace talks.
Organizers Sari Nusseibeh, the PLO's chief representative in Jerusalem, and
Yossi Sarid, leader of the Knesset opposition, say the center will serve as a
venue for meetings, youth coexistence activities, and organizing demonstrations.
They hope it will also provide a forum for generating ideas about how to
overcome the region's hatreds.
Outside the center, about 40 police officers stood between angry groups - on one
side were several dozen Israeli peace supporters and Arabs; on the other side
stood an equal number of right-wing Israelis