Palestinians, Israeli Troops Clash in West Bank; 28 Hurt

Palestinians threw stones and Israeli troops responded with rubber bullets and tear gas in clashes that injured 25 Palestinians and three soldiers Saturday, a week before the scheduled start of President Clinton’s visit to the area.

Seven protesters were arrested.

The clashes came as Palestinians launched protests demanding the release of what they call political prisoners in an escalating dispute that has threatened to derail the new Mideast peace accord.

In addition to the protests, 2,500 Palestinian prisoners began a hunger strike to press for their early release.

Under the Wye River peace agreement, Israel agreed to free 750 Palestinian prisoners by the end of January. In a first stage last month, it freed 250 prisoners, most of them common criminals.

The Palestinians are demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners jailed for anti-Israel activities.

The protesters dispersed Saturday after hours of clashes on the outskirts of Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus and the Israeli settlement of Ariel. Israeli paramilitary police also fired tear gas to disperse dozens of stone-throwers in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem. Five Israeli buses were stoned, and two bus drivers were slightly injured, the police said.

In Ramallah, the Palestinians’ top negotiator on prisoners expressed regret over a statement by the U.S. on Friday that the Israelis have “done what they said they would do . . . concerning prisoner releases.”

Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders said they would reaffirm their recognition of Israel’s right to exist, as part of their obligations under the peace deal.

The Palestinians’ central council, speaking for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, will meet Thursday to reaffirm a letter from Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to Clinton that lists the nullified articles in the Palestinian charter calling for Israel’s destruction.

The meeting is the required prelude under the Wye deal to a gathering of the Palestine National Council and other Palestinian bodies during which they will reaffirm their support for the amended charter.

Clinton will attend the session during his visit.

In Stockholm, Arafat struck a conciliatory note on the explosive issue of Palestinian statehood.

Arafat, who has said he will declare statehood unilaterally May 4, said, “There can be no just solution without the agreement of the existence of two states . . . coexisting by mutual agreement and acceptance.”

Arafat was in Sweden to mark the 10th anniversary of his renouncement of terrorism and recognition of Israel.