A Palestinian was badly injured in the West Bank on Wednesday when President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces opened fire at a funeral for a man killed in a protest against Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, medics said. According to Reuters, witnesses said Abbas' police forces fired into the air to disperse a crowd of thousands after protesters from Hamas arrived at the funeral and started throwing stones at the security officers.
Medical workers said the man was shot in the neck and that 28 others were hurt. Dozens were detained and security officers confiscated flags belonging to Hamas, witnesses said.
The crowd gathered for the funeral of a demonstrator killed on Tuesday at a rally held against the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis peace conference. Witnesses at Tuesday's rally said the man was shot by security forces.
In Gaza, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the violent reaction to the funeral procession "illustrates the extent of the conspiracy in Annapolis" and shows "killing and repression at the hands of Palestinian security because they hang on to their rights."
