Mideast calm shattered: 4 killed, hundreds hurt

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 28, 2000

JERUSALEM -- Four more Palestinians were killed in clashes Friday as Israeli tanks fired on two West Bank towns, ending a period of several days of relative calm. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak moved closer to forging a crisis coalition with the opposition Likud Party.

At the White House, President Clinton said he was frustrated by reports of renewed violence and said he continued to talk to both sides about holding separate meetings in Washington.

"We're talking to the Israelis, we're talking to the Palestinians, we're talking with others around the world," Clinton said. "I'm working really hard on this. I'm frustrated. ... We've just got to try to get a hold of it."

In addition to the four dead, more than 200 people were injured Friday in firebomb and rock-throwing clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The violence was described by witnesses as some of the most intense of the past week.

Friday had been declared a "Day of Rage" by various Palestinian organizations. But it was not clear whether the expanded confrontations were intended to occur just on Fridays, the Muslim holy day, when gatherings for noon prayers have often proved to be focal points for protests.

Still, four deaths Friday means four funerals today. And, in the cycle of martyrdom among the demonstrators, the emotional processions have often ended with marches to confront Israeli soldiers and, often, new deaths.

While he is under pressure from Israel, the United States, the European Union and some moderate Arab states to quell the violence, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is also threatened by more extremist Palestinian leaders. After midday prayers in the West Bank and Gaza on Friday, Islamic militants held mass rallies, chanting "We want a big bomb" and threatening suicide attacks against Israeli targets.

There were grim assessments from the Israeli army that the clashes would continue unabated for months.

"We estimate the Palestinians will continue with the waves of violence and shooting incidents, and I estimate there will also be attacks," Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz told Army Radio.

Meanwhile, Barak's weeklong attempt to form an emergency coalition government with opposition leader Ariel Sharon made headway on some critical issues Friday, spokesmen for both sides announced.

"Negotiators have reached an understanding on four out of six points on the formation of such a government," said Tami Shenkman, spokeswoman for Barak's negotiators, declining to say what points remain under discussion.

"We hope the final issues will be discussed in a meeting between Mr. Barak and Mr. Sharon (tonight)," said Meir Sheetrit, a Sharon aide.

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