Agence France Presse  --  Arab News

BIDDO, West Bank, 8 March 2004 — About 20 Palestinians were wounded yesterday as Israeli troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters demonstrating against the West Bank separation barrier.

At least one of the casualties was struck by a rubber-coated bullet while others suffered from the effects of tear gas fired to disperse the protestors near the West Bank village of Biddo, a correspondent at the scene said.

Sources from the Palestinian Red Crescent society said that most of those who were hurt were treated at the scene although two people were taken to hospital.

Two border guards were also slightly hurt by protestors’ stones, Israeli public radio reported, while three arrests were made.

Late in February, three Palestinians were killed after Israeli troops opened fire in another protest at the site.

The Palestinians say that the route of the barrier, which often juts deep into their territory, shows it is an attempt to predetermine the borders of their promised future state.

Meanwhile in Nablus, a Palestinian teenager died of wounds he had sustained the previous day when a makeshift explosive device he was attempting to throw at Israeli troops prematurely blew up in his hands, medics said.