AP: Palestinians Protest, Blame Militants

[theapportioner]

Atypical, but interesting.
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Palestinians Protest, Blame Militants


By IBRAHIM BARZAK, Associated Press Writer

BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip - Hundreds of Palestinians burned tires and blocked a main road Tuesday in a rare burst of anger at Islamic militants whom they blamed for prompting Israeli military attacks by using their town to fire rockets into Israel.

The protest erupted two hours after Israeli troops withdrew from this Gaza town, following a five-day takeover during which they flattened orchards, demolished 15 homes, knocked over garden walls, tore up streets and damaged the sewage, water and electricity systems.

The Israeli military said much of the destruction, especially of homes and orchards, was aimed at depriving militants firing rockets of cover.

In an unusual protest, about 600 Beit Hanoun residents blocked a main thoroughfare with trash cans, rocks and burning tires to show their anger at the militants and Palestinian Authority (news - web sites) officials.

"They (the militants) claim they are heroes," said Mohammed Zaaneen, 30, a farmer, as he carried rocks into the street. "They brought us only destruction and made us homeless. They used our farms, our houses and our children ... to hide."

The Israeli pullback came despite five suicide bombings that killed 12 Israelis in 48 hours and endangered a U.S.-backed Mideast peace initiative. The move suggested that Israel is holding off on large-scale retaliation for now, amid international concern that new strikes would further weaken the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas.

President Bush (news - web sites) called Abbas on Tuesday to underscore the need for both Palestinians and Israelis to fight terror and resume peace negotiations, the White House said. It was their first conversation since Abbas took office on April 30.

Abbas is seen as instrumental in implementing the "road map" to peace plan, a three-stage prescription for ending violence and setting up a Palestinian state by 2005. However, Abbas has said he will not launch a crackdown on militias — a crucial step in the first phase — until Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) accepts the plan.

Sharon has refused to do so, saying he wants to discuss his objections with Bush. A Bush-Sharon meeting had been scheduled for Tuesday, but Sharon postponed his Washington trip indefinitely because of the bombings.

During the Israeli takeover, eight Palestinians were killed in clashes — four gunmen and four teens, ages 13, 15 and 17. Three of the teens had been throwing stones at Israeli tanks when they were shot by troops.

Israeli troops have raided Beit Hanoun seven times in the past 32 months of fighting, in an effort to stop the firing of homemade Qassam rockets from Beit Hanoun at Israeli border towns.