New confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli troops

Palestinian - Israeli clashes took place yesterday, resulting in the injury of 11 Israeli soldiers and 15 demonstrators. Meanwhile the Israeli minister of defense accused the Palestinian government of not doing its utmost to prevent such incidents from taking place.

He also said that the Israeli army will use sufficient measures to protect Jewish settlers in Hebron. The settlers amount to 450 of the city's inhabitants compared to more than 100,000 Palestinians.

The clashes took place yesterday morning in Ramallah after Hamas accused Israel of being behind the explosion of the car driven by Zahran Zaher, 35, who was killed and which also badly injured Salman Abu Ebid, 28, his brother Selim, 32.

The explosion took place at the same place where Mohiedin al-Sharif was killed last year.

A number of Israeli soldiers were injured Wednesday in an explosion that took place in the West Bank town of Hebron, as an Israeli army patrol was exposed to an attack by two bombs while it was passing through the middle of Hebron.

The explosions of the two bombs resulting in injuries to eight Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers, then the fire reached their cars but the severity of the injuries were not known. The incident coincided with the Jewish day of atonement.