Four Palestinians dead in fresh Mideast clashes

In this story: Palestinians push for protection force Barak: 'We will not reward violence' RELATED STORIES, SITES

CNN Correspondents Tom Mintier and Jerrold Kessel contributed to this report.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- Clashes claimed the lives of four Palestinians, including two youths, on Tuesday, even as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak prepared to meet with his Cabinet to discuss possible further retaliation for the killings of Israeli Jews in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel sealed off Palestinian-controlled territories in the West Bank earlier on Tuesday, allowing only vehicles carrying food, medicine or humanitarian aid to pass, in response to Monday's violence in which four Israelis were killed in drive-by shootings. Four Palestinians were killed in separate confrontations.

VIDEO CNN's Rula Amin reports that talk of peace is growing the Mideast even as both sides continue to accuse each other (November 14) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports more violent deaths in the Mideast and an apparent change in the nature of the conflict (November 14) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) The ninth summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference ended a day early with calls to cut ties with Israel. CNN's Jane Arraf reports (November 14) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AUDIO Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak gives a statement concerning the Middle East crisis (November 13) 11.025K/32 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat comments on measures taken by Israel Defense Forces (November 14) 565K/25 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo-Ben Ami comments on violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem (November 14) 625K/98 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace

Barak cut short an international visit to return to Jerusalem for the emergency Cabinet meeting. He canceled a planned meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, but spoke with Blair by telephone while his plane was on the ground for refueling in London.

Barak also met with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan before his plane took off again for Israel.

Palestinians push for protection force

A 13-year-old Palestinian boy in Khan Younis in Gaza and a 14-year-old Palestinian in Ramallah were killed in clashes with Israeli forces on Tuesday. The Red Crescent said another man was killed in Gaza and fourth died in fighting in Nablus.

The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat, laid blame on Barak for furthering the conflict by cordoning off the Palestinian areas and keeping troops there.

"If he wants to see the future generations of Palestinians and Israelis living in peace, what are the forces doing in the West Bank and Gaza?" Erakat asked.

He said what needs to be done "immediately" is to "see that the international community will respond to (Palestinian Authority) President Arafat's request to see to it that we have international protection forces coming to the West Bank and Gaza.

Barak has rejected Yasser Arafat's demand for a protection force, saying it would "reward" Palestinian violence.

Barak: 'We will not reward violence'

In Chicago, Illinois, on Monday night, Barak told a conference of U.S. Jews that Israel would pursue peace but not at the expense of the security of Israeli citizens.

"Let me be very clear," he said. "We will not reward violence. We will act decisively to defend our civilians and our soldiers, even as we pursue peace."

Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami referred to the violence as a "tragic march of folly" and insisted the only answer to ending the conflict is for "Arafat to abide by Sharm El-Sheikh," referring to agreements to curb the violence reached last month during a summit at the Egyptian Red Sea resort.

"We are ready today, now, immediately to instruct everybody not to fire, not to conduct any kind of action," Ben-Ami told CNN.

Since September 28, at least 231 people have been killed in violence in Israel and the territories. Among them were 194 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 24 Israeli Jews.

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Arafat and Barak to meet with Clinton in separate peace talks, White House says
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Barak says he will participate in Washington peace talks if Arafat will
November 4, 2000
Clinton hopes for meetings with Arafat, Barak
November 3, 2000
Hope remains for Mideast truce deal despite fatal Jerusalem bombing
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Agreement to implement cease-fire reached, Barak's office says
November 1, 2000

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