Palestinian shot dead at West Bank demonstration
Israeli soldiers have shot and killed a Palestinian demonstrator taking part in a march to mark the first anniversary of the latest uprising against Israeli aggression.
Thousands of Palestinians are participating in marches throughout the occupied territories, with speakers vowing to continue their fight for independence.
The anniversary of the intefada (uprising) is seen as a major test for a shaky ceasefire arranged at the behest of the United States.
The US believes calm in the Middle East is crucial to its hopes of recruiting Arab nations to its new “coalition against terrorism”.
The United States is Israel’s most fervent supporter on the international scene, but the US State Department has criticised Israel for what it said was a “provocative” military strike in the Rafah refugee camp yesterday. The US has also been angered by the fact that Israel has killed seven Palestinians since the ceasefire was announced two days ago. Despite the continuing violence, senior Israeli and Palestinian security officials met today to work out details of the ceasefire conditions. These include the lifting of the Israeli blockade of Palestinian areas, a move that has caused economic hardship in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the past 12 months.
