Clashes flared Sunday in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli troops. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rejected blame for the Palestinian uprising and vowed that Israel would not stand trial before the world as a US-led commission wrapped up a five-day visit to the region.
In the West Bank city of Nablus, tens of Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli troops, according to reports.
About 4,000 Palestinians took part in the march, chanting "End the occupation, continue the Intifada," while a small number of youths threw stones at Israeli troops who had fired tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowds, said AFP.
Further demonstrations have been called to coincide with the Arab summit in Amman that opens Tuesday.
In another development, a Jewish settler was seriously injured in a shooting attack as he was driving near a Jewish settlement south of the Nablus.
In apparent retaliation, Haaretz said that the settler's brother and a small band of Jewish settler friends set out to harass Palestinians in the divided West Bank city of Hebron.
Also Sunday night, a 25-year-old Israeli civilian and three Israeli Arabs were kidnapped by armed Palestinians in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem, said the paper.
They were later handed unharmed over to the Israeli army, it added.
Citing an official, the paper said that Arafat ordered their release only after Israeli security forces warned they would mount a severe response: perhaps re-entering Palestinian-ruled territory.
But Palestinian governor in Tulkarem, Ezzedine al-Sharif, told AFP David Haim was not kidnapped, but "captured by Fateh militants for questioning."
Meanwhile, Sharon said that "it is clear today to everyone that there is no relation between my visit and the wave of terrorism."
"Everyone knows that it was a strategic decision by (Palestinian President) Yasser Arafat, who believed he could put pressure and obtain more from Israel and prompt international intervention in the conflict."
"No one, and I mean no one, has the right to bring Israel and the Jewish people before a court of the world's people," he said.
According to Haaretz, Sharon said the decision to agree to the committee, set up at an October summit at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh that included then US president Bill Clinton, was a "historic error" by his predecessor Ehud Barak.
But Mitchell, who met Sharon on Sunday before leaving Israel, said the panel had received "excellent cooperation" from both sides.
The panel, which completed its fact-finding mission, "is expected to compile its report by the end of April or beginning of May," the paper quoted Mitchell as saying.
"We are not a tribunal, we do not believe that anyone is on trial," he told reporters.
In another development, Sharon's his diplomatic advisor Zalman Shoval suggested that the negotiations could resume even if there is not a complete halt to the fighting, said the paper.
"We are not talking about every youth who throws a stone or a Molotov cocktail," he told army radio.
There should be real efforts by Arafat to halt the attacks, which Israel charges are instigated by forces beholden to the Palestinian President, he was quoted as saying -- Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
