Palestinian medics say Israeli troops have shot and killed a
Palestinian boy during a protest against an extension of Israel's
controversial security barrier in the West Bank.
Witnesses and
medics say Israeli soldiers clashed with Palestinians Tuesday near the
village of Nilin, the site of several previous demonstrations against
the barrier. They say the soldiers fired at a group of rock-throwing
protesters, killing the 10-year-old boy.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.
Palestinians
say the West Bank barrier robs them of land they want for a future
state. Israel says the barrier is necessary to keep Palestinian
attackers out of Israeli territory.
In other news, members of
the Palestinian militant group Hamas arrived in Cairo today for talks
with Egyptian officials on a potential prisoner exchange with Israel.
Hamas
officials say the delegation will discuss ways to advance a truce
between the Palestinian group and Israel. They say the talks also will
focus on repairing a rift between Hamas and Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement.
The two Palestinian factions have been at odds since Hamas routed Fatah forces in a takeover of the Gaza Strip last year.
Monday,
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel will not be able to
reach a full peace deal with the Palestinians by the end of this year.
But he told lawmakers that differences over final borders and the issue
of Palestinian refugees are not insurmountable.
Palestinian
officials criticized Mr. Olmert's comments, accusing him of giving up
on the peace process. Mr. Olmert and Mr. Abbas restarted peace talks
last November with the goal of reaching a deal by the end of 2008.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
