Israeli soldiers shot dead two Palestinian boys in a West Bank village near the city of Ramallah after nightfall Wednesday, Palestinian security and hospital officials said.
They added the youths were throwing rocks at troops guarding the separation fence Israel is building near the village of Beit Lakia when the soldiers opened fire.
Earlier in the day, Israeli forces arrested six Palestinians and five Israeli activists in protest of seizing land and building the fence in the West Bank. Witnesses told WAFA that that Israeli pacifists from Ta'yosh and Fawdaween movements against construction of fence in Bil'in village, west of Ramallah, tied themselves to the olive trees in an attempt to prevent Israeli troops uproot them in favour of building the fence on the Palestinians' land.
Meanwhile, Israel will not hand over any more West Bank towns to Palestinian control, the Israeli Security Cabinet decided Wednesday. Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz charged that the Palestinians are not fulfilling their commitment to collect weapons in the two towns Israel transferred under terms of a Feb. 8 cease-fire. He was speaking at a meeting of Israel's security Cabinet.
