RESISTANCE WILL CONTINUE
A Palestinian protester runs for cover during clashes with Israeli forces following a demonstration near the Israeli settlement of Beit El in the Israeli occupied West Bank, on Friday. Four Palestinians were killed and 440 injured during the clashes.
gaza city — Thousands protested along the Gaza Strip’s border with Israel in a fourth straight Friday of mass demonstrations and clashes, with two Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces.
Gazans also flew dozens of kites near the border fence, in some cases carrying Molotov cocktails, in a new tactic that had led to at least a couple of small fires in Israeli territory this week.
The latest deaths brought the toll of those killed by Israeli forces since March 30 to 36, with hundreds also wounded since then, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Some 83 more were injured on Friday, the ministry said.
Israel says it has only opened fire when necessary to guard its border and prevent violence, but no Israelis have been wounded and its openfire rules have come under scrutiny.
With the border protests posing a challenge to Israeli security forces, military aircraft dropped leaflets in the border area early on Friday warning against approaching the fence.
Referring to the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, the leaflet said: “You are participating in violent riots. The Hamas terror organisation is taking advantage of you in order to carry out terror attacks.” It added: “Stay away from the fence and do not attempt to harm it; avoid using weapons and committing violent acts against Israeli security forces and Israeli citizens.”
The number of protesters on Friday was lower than the previous three weeks, but still in the thousands. Both Palestinians killed were shot east of Jabaliya in the north of the Gaza Strip, the health ministry said.
Among the thousands gathered to protest, at least hundreds were approaching the fence and throwing stones and burning tyres, an AFP correspondent said.Israeli forces were using tear gas in addition to live fire.
Israel’s military said some 3,000 Palestinians were involved in “riots, attempting to approach the security infrastructures, burning tyres adjacent to it and attempting to fly kites with burning items attached” to them.
“Several kites crossed into Israel and were extinguished when required.”
It said in the statement that “troops are responding with riot dispersal means and are firing in accordance with the rules of engagement.”
Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said while touring the Israeli side of the border on Friday that “the thing that the other side must understand is that there is a determined and skilled army here.”
He added that “behind it stands a determined people that is backing up the army.”
Tens of thousands have gathered on previous Fridays as part of the protests near the border. The protests are meant to last six weeks, but peak on Fridays. A smaller number have approached the fence and thrown stones or rolled burning tyres toward Israeli soldiers on the other side of the heavily guarded fence.