Military

DATE=09/29/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS (L)

NUMBER=2-281154

BYLINE=SONJA PACE

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// EDS: WATCH C-N WIRE AND UPDATE INTRO WITH NEW CASUALTY FIGURES AS WARRANTED ///

INTRO: One Palestinian was killed and at least 50 were wounded in clashes with Israeli troops Saturday in the Gaza Strip. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank town of Hebron. V-O-A's Sonja Pace in Jerusalem reports three Israeli soldiers were injured in the renewed violence.

TEXT: The clashes took place in several areas of the Gaza Strip, including near the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in central Gaza. Palestinian hospital officials say Israeli troops shot back at stone-throwing youths. Israeli military officials say troops used tear gas and rubber-coated bullets against Palestinians throwing stones and firebombs.

Clashes also took place in the West Bank town of Hebron, where Palestinians are reported to have fired a mortar round at a Jewish settlement.

The latest violence comes just three days after Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met in Gaza and agreed to re-affirm a ceasefire and take other confidence-building measures. Security officials from the two sides met on Friday.

The Palestinians promised to clamp down on attacks against Israeli military positions and settlements. The Israelis promised to ease their blockade in Palestinian-held areas in the West Bank and to open the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Numerous attempts to implement a truce over the past months have failed, but there were hopes this latest one might actually take hold. Both sides have come under increasing pressure from the United States to ease the crisis here as the U-S tries to bring Arab and other Muslim nations into its worldwide coalition against terrorism.

Mr. Arafat declared a ceasefire within a week after the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States. But not everyone agrees with that. The radical Islamic groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Lebanese-based Hezbollah have rejected the ceasefire, and there seems to be disagreement even within Mr. Arafat's own Fatah movement.

Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets Friday to mark the anniversary of the beginning of their uprising, or intifada. Similar demonstrations of support also took place in capitals elsewhere in the Middle East.

Israelis and Palestinians continue to blame each other for not making the ceasefire stick. But, both sides have said a meeting of their security officials will go ahead as planned on Sunday. (Signed)

NEB/SP/ALW