Israeli bombardment of Palestinian cities, towns continues

The funeral procession of the palestinian Osama al-Zgheir ( 18 year old ) who was killed by the Israeli bombardment of Beit Jala was converted into a popular rage demonstration.

During the angry demonstration, the mourners chanted slogans calling for revenge from the Israeli forces and to strongly repel the flagrant attacks carried out by Sharon's government.

News reports said that the Palestinian youth was burnt completely when an Israeli tank shell fell into his house in Beit Jala, while tens of Palestinians were wounded and the bombardment inflected damages in several houses.

Al-Beera city was exposed to armored vehicles shelling one of which hit a school for blind girls. They were frightened but no casualties were reported.

Meantime, US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the U.S. government believes that Israel should relieve the economic pressure on the Palestinians by releasing withheld tax revenues. "We do believe that the economic pressure on the Palestinians needs to be relieved, and that the tax payments in particular need to be made -- need to be transferred over, because the Palestinian Authority needs the money to support its operations," Boucher said yesterday.