Israeli Troops Fire on W. Bank Pro-Iraq Rally

A pro-Iraq rally turned violent Saturday in the West Bank, with Israeli troops firing tear gas and rubber bullets at stone-throwing Palestinian protesters. At least 14 people suffered minor injuries.

Carrying pictures of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and waving Iraqi flags, a crowd of Palestinians estimated at between 500 and 1,000, mainly teenagers, chanted, “Down with America!” and shouted, “Clinton is a coward--go look for women!” while marching toward an Israeli-controlled enclave on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

The rally became violent when marchers, some masked, started throwing stones at Israeli troops, who responded with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. The injured included three Palestinian police officers.

Palestinians have repeatedly accused Washington of adopting a double standard in the current crisis over Iraq by demanding Iraqi compliance with U.N. decisions on arms inspections but refraining from pressing Israel to withdraw from occupied Arab land.

“We would be happy if Iraq fired missiles at Israel,” one masked demonstrator said, in a reference to Israeli fears of a recurrence of the Iraqi Scud missile strikes on the country in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Bethlehem has been the scene of frequent skirmishes over the last 10 days. The injured Saturday included three journalists--a cameraman for Associated Press Television and a cameraman and a photographer for Reuters.