In face of renewed tension, Barak demands end to violence

May 19, 2000
Web posted at: 9:34 p.m. EDT (0434 GMT)

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- A firefight broke out at a Palestinian police checkpoint Friday, just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak demanded an end to West Bank violence.

"We cannot afford being dragged into live fire exchanges as a result of a kind of street violence," Barak told reporters while visiting an Israeli army post outside the Palestinian city of Ramallah.

"We demand it from the Palestinians to change it and to take all necessary steps to make it impossible that such events will be repeated," he said.

VIDEO International Correspondent Mike Hanna looks at the continuing violence in Israel. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     AUDIO Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak called on Palestinians Friday to end the latest violence 298K/14 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace

Palestinians had called for two days of "rage" on Friday and Saturday in solidarity with the 1,650 Palestinians in Israeli jails whose freedom they seek. At least nine people were wounded when Israeli soldiers and Palestinian police fought a gun battle at a Palestinian police checkpoint when the soldiers, attempting to pass through the checkpoint, were told to leave their weapons behind.

Three people have died and hundreds have been hurt this week in West Bank and Gaza Strip clashes as Palestinians continue to express their frustration with the lack of progress in the peace process.

Barak continues to face flare-ups of violence in Lebanon, where he has promised to end a 22-year Israeli army occupation by July. His office said he is not sure if the continued violence might alter his plans to travel to the United States next week for a White House visit.

Tensions have also risen in Barak's coalition, with right-wing and religious partners threatening to leave over issues as diverse as land transfers to the Palestinians and cash for ultra-Orthodox Jewish institutions.

According to a Gallup opinion poll of 590 Israelis published in the daily Maariv on Friday, 50 percent oppose the decision this week to give Palestinian rule to the three Arab villages adjacent to Jerusalem.

The poll showed 41 percent favor the decision while 9 percent had no opinion. But according to the poll, 68 percent favor continued steps toward peace.

Senior correspondent Mike Hanna and Reuters contributed to this report.

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