Some 400 Palestinian intellectuals demonstrated Saturday in protest over the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territories, said reports.
University students, journalists and entertainment personalities first staged a sit-in at the Gaza City seat of the Palestinian legislature. They then marched to the outskirts of the flashpoint Jewish settlement of Netzarim, which has been a frequent site of clashes over the past six months of violence.
"Settlers, get out of Palestine!" they shouted.
"Arab leaders, boycott (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon, the Intifada (uprising) will continue," was another cry, referring to an upcoming summit of Arab leaders in Jordan and a Syrian call for a boycott of Israel, said AFP.
Israeli troops fired in the direction of the demonstrators, but no casualties were reported.
A second demonstration against the blockade, organized by professional associations, brought 500 people to the highway between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem, said Al-Jazeera satellite channel.
Soldiers broke up the protest with tear gas, lightly injuring seven demonstrators, the channel said.
An Israeli army source said a soldier was also lightly injured by a stone thrown by one of the protestors.
Among the injured were three Palestinian cameramen, said Israel’s Channel One.
Citing military spokesman, the Israeli army was forced to beat the journalist as they refused to abide by the army’s orders.
The army also used tear gas on 300 women protesting against the closure in the West Bank town of Hebron.
Meanwhile, the Israeli TV report said that security forces arrested a member Fateh faction for “involvement in terror acts.”
Issa Faraj-Allah, 50, was arrested in the village of Idna, near Hebron – Albawaba.com
