Six Palestinians have been shot dead and about 50 wounded by Israeli troops during demonstrations on another Palestinian Day of Rage. Most of the casualties occurred in the West Bank City of Nablus. The Palestinian Authority of Yasser Arafat condemned the killings as a barbaric crime that shames humanity. Earlier, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters in the West Bank towns of Hebron and Ramallah.
Israeli security forces were put on full alert this morning ahead of planned demonstrations by Palestinians to mark Land Day. The protests were planned to commemorate the killings by Israeli police of six Israeli Arabs during mass protests in 1976 against Israeli land expropriation policies.
Mr Arafat swore yesterday that the intifada against Israel, which broke out last September, would continue until a Palestinian state is established. In response, Israel has threatened an increased military presence.
US President, George W Bush, has criticised the Palestinian leader for his lack of interest in peace in the Middle East. He called on both the Israelis and Palestinians to "take important steps to calm the situation". Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said yesterday that the days of restraint were over. Military action from Sharon's government, only three weeks in office, has provoked outrage from the Palestinians. They have accused Sharon of escalating the crisis.
The National Islamic Forces, an umbrella group of 14 Palestinian groups, has urged for the people of east Jerusalem to go on a general strike today. In a statement the group also called for "a peaceful demonstration Saturday towards the Ras al-Amud road block" to breach the blockade on east Jerusalem which has been occupied since 1967.
