arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Last Friday about 25,000 Palestinian participated in the funerals of six Palestinians killed when Israeli tanks opened fire in the southern Gaza strip town of Rafah. 40 others injured, Palestinian medical staff said including a nine year-old girl and a seventy-two year-old man in the incident.
The incident happened when Israeli troops were putting up a new lookout tower, according to the Associated Press news agency. "Israeli tanks fired shells against the houses of people in Rafah refugee camp," said Ali Moussa, director of the hospital in Rafah. But the Israelis say that they were shot at by Palestinian militants with anti-tank weapons and returned fire.
Palestinian youths threw stones and bottles, while militants fired on the troops, Palestinian witnesses said. Palestinians frequently clash with Israeli troops frequently in Rafah - a militant stronghold.
The killings sparked international outrage at what is increasingly perceived as Israel's lack of concern for civilians caught in the crossfire and using excessive force in the occupied territories. The Palestinian leadership, in a statement, condemned "this new massacre by Israeli tank shells against a refugee school and houses in Rafah" and called for the international community to intervene and send observers last Saturday. The PNA accused Israeli soldiers of firing indiscriminately and frequently hitting civilians.
The EU called on Israel and the Palestinians to exercise restraint. Russia added its voice to the condemnation on Friday. A statement from the foreign ministry said: "While firmly condemning the terrorist actions of extremists, [Russia] views with great concern the disproportionately harsh operations carried out by Israeli forces."
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said two schools were hit by tank shells, including one run by the agency. "This is another case of disproportionate force being use against civilian targets, including schools full of children," "said the agency's commissioner-general, Peter Hansen in a statement Friday.
The killings come just a day after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held talks in Washington with US President George Bush, who recently asked the Israeli premier to curb the high number of Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces. Israel has expressed regret for the civilian deaths and claimed that its troops often come under Palestinian fire from within civilian areas.