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A10 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 12 May 2018

1 dead, dozens hurt by Israeli fire in Gaza border protest

By FARES AKRAM and KAR- rulers, but are fueled by de- Later Friday, Palestinians er was killed and 176 were ternational criticism.
IN LAUB spair among the territory’s vandalized a fuel complex wounded by Israeli fire Fri- Israel says it has a right to
Associated Press 2 million people. The vast and conveyor belt on the day. Ten of the wounded defend its border and has
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) majority are barred from Palestinian side of Gaza’s were in serious condition, accused Hamas of using
— A Palestinian was killed the protests as a cover
and 176 were wounded for attacking the border.
by Israeli army fire Friday Rights groups say the use
as thousands of Gaza resi- of potentially lethal force
dents protested near their against unarmed protesters
sealed border — part of a is unlawful.
weeks-long campaign to There are growing concerns
end a decade-old block- that if Israel and Hamas dig
ade of the territory. in, a widespread border
Later Friday, vandals breach could lead to large
burned a fuel complex numbers of casualties.
and a conveyor belt on the The protests are part of a
Palestinian side of Gaza’s campaign to break the
main cargo crossing with Is- blockade imposed by Is-
rael, causing more than $9 rael and Egypt after the Is-
million in damages and dis- lamic militant Hamas over-
rupting the import of diesel ran Gaza in 2007.
fuel and building materials, The Israeli-annexed east-
the military said. ern sector of Jerusalem is
Friday’s clashes offered a sought as a future Palestin-
preview of what will likely ian capital — at least by
be a much larger pro- those supporting Hamas’
test — and possibly a bor- political rival, West Bank-
der breach — on Monday Palestinians try to evacuate an injured protester was shot by Israeli troops during a protest at the based Palestinian President
when the United States re- Gaza Strip’s border with Israel, Friday, May 11, 2018. Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas
locates its embassy in Israel Associated Press seeks an Islamic state in the
to contested Jerusalem travel and trade, while the main cargo crossing, Ker- including a 16-year-old boy entire historic Palestine, in-
amid Palestinian outrage. blockade has gutted the em Shalom, the army said. who was shot in the head. cluding what is now Israel,
President Donald Trump’s economy. It said the fuel installation is Nearly 800 others were but has said it is ready for a
decision to recognize Je- As in previous weeks, thou- the only way to bring diesel overcome by tear gas or long-term truce.
rusalem as Israel’s capital sands flocked to five tent fuel into Gaza for operat- suffered other types of in- Another large-scale pro-
and move the embassy camps near the border — ing generators for hospitals juries. test is planned for Tuesday,
there “is causing the volca- some 15,000 people, ac- and other key facilities. Friday’s death brought to when Palestinians mark
no to spew,” said 25-year- cording to the Israeli mili- The military distributed a 41 the number of protesters their “nakba,” or catastro-
old protester Ahmed Dei- tary. video showing Palestinians killed since March 30. In the phe, referring to their mass
fallah as he stood near the From the camps, smaller cheering as a fire was set. same period, more than uprooting during the Mid-
Gaza border, a Palestinian groups moved closer to the It was the second such at- 1,800 were wounded by Is- east war over Israel’s 1948
flag draped around his fence. They threw stones, tack on the facility in a raeli fire. creation. Hundreds of thou-
head. burned tires and flew kites week. “Hamas continues to Despite such risks, Gaza’s sands of Palestinians were
Deifallah, who is unem- with burning rags attached lead the residents of Gaza Hamas leader, Yehiyeh Sin- driven out or fled homes
ployed like almost half the to them, hoping to steer to destroy the only assis- war, has said he expects in what is now Israel. More
Gaza labor force, said he them into Israel to set fields tance they receive,” the tens of thousands to partic- than two-thirds of Gaza res-
would also join Monday’s on fire. army said. ipate in Monday’s protest. idents are descendants of
protest and is not afraid to The area was quickly en- Nissim Jan, the director of He has raised the possibility refugees.
die. gulfed in thick black smoke an Israeli company that of a mass border breach, Meanwhile, Gaza govern-
“We are used to confront- from the burning tires. operates Kerem Shalom comparing protesters to a ment officials announced
ing the (Israeli) occupation Israeli soldiers, some in partnership with private “starving tiger,” unpredict- that Egypt will open its bor-
with our bare chests,” he crouching behind sand Palestinian companies, able and full of pent-up der with Gaza for four days
said. “We are used to wars berms, fired live bullets and said he spent large sums to anger. starting Saturday. Helping
and no one with us but Al- tear gas volleys from the repair last week’s damage. Israel has said it will prevent reinforce the Israeli block-
lah.” other side of the fence. “This time I can’t repair and any border breach and ade, Egypt has kept the
Friday marked the seventh The Israeli military said pro- will not repair it. Where shall has stuck to its open-fire Rafah crossing point, Ga-
weekly border protest since testers also threw pipe I bring money from?” he policies, including target- za’s main gate to the out-
late March. The demon- bombs and grenades to- said. ing “main instigators” and side world, closed most of
strations have been orga- ward Israeli soldiers and The Gaza Health Ministry those approaching the the time since the Hamas
nized by Gaza’s Hamas damaged the fence. said a 40-year-old protest- fence, despite growing in- takeover.q