2 West Bank Palestinians Die in Separate Incidents

Two young West Bank Palestinians were killed Sunday, one when Israeli troops fired rubber bullets to disperse masked attackers and the second, Palestinian sources said, when soldiers opened fire on youths stoning a bus.

An army spokesman said a group of masked Palestinians attacked soldiers Sunday on the main road of the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, prompting the troops to fire rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

A 21-year-old man was killed by a rubber bullet, said the spokesman, who did not identify the man. A slingshot containing metal pellets was found in the dead man’s hand, the spokesman said.

Bus Stoned by Youths

Palestinian sources said a second man died in the Ein el Sultan refugee camp, about two miles north of Jericho, after a group of Palestinian youths leaving school stoned a passing Israeli bus carrying soldiers. Soldiers left the bus and began firing, the Palestinian sources said.

Sayed Mohammed Hayek, 18, was killed in the clash, the sources added.

However, military sources gave a different account, saying the bus driver opened his window, was struck in the head with a stone and fired a gun.

The army said it was investigating Hayek’s death to determine whether soldiers were involved and whether the death was connected with the bus stoning.

More than 190 Palestinians have been killed in anti-Israel unrest since the Palestinian uprising began Dec. 9. Two Israelis also have been killed.

7 Palestinians Wounded

Also on Sunday, at least seven Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets during clashes with soldiers in 10 other towns and U.N.-run refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said. The army reported scattered unrest in the territories.

An Israeli also was slightly wounded Sunday near Tel Aviv when a 17-year-old Arab threw a large rock at his car and broke the windshield, state-run Israel Radio reported. Authorities arrested the youth, the radio said.