Islamic militants fired in the air Wednesday as protesters condemned the Sharm el-Sheikh declaration during the funeral of a Palestinian killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
Around 4,000 people marched through the streets of this West Bank town for the funeral of Mohamed al-Dakheel, 27, who was pronounced clinically dead after youths clashed with Israeli soldiers guarding the Jewish holy site of Joseph's Tomb and a nearby Jewish settlement on October 2.
The crowd chanted slogans against the Sharm declaration, in which Israel and the Palestinians pledged to take steps to end the clashes which have lasted nearly three weeks, killing more than 100 people.
Gunmen in the crowd shot into the air from automatic weapons, others carried flags of the Hamas militant fundamentalist group, of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization and Palestinian flags.
Mourners chanted, "We don't want a five-way summit, its decisions are American," and "Sharm el-Sheikh is weak, Intifada is the substitute," and urged Hamas' military wing to "take revenge".
An AFP correspondent said Israeli tanks remained in positions overlooking the town, despite a statement from the military on Tuesday saying they would be withdrawn in line with the terms of the Sharm declaration.
Tanks were reported to be still guarding a Jewish settlement which overlooks the town.
The tanks were sent to the outskirts of the town soon after the outbreak of the deadly clashes and street battles between Israeli forces and Palestinians almost three weeks ago -- NABLUS (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
