Palestinians call off peace talks after clash

AP

Show Caption Hide Caption Raw: 3 killed in West Bank clashes Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinian protesters during clashes following an arrest raid in the West Bank. The violence prompted Palestinian negotiators to call off a planned round of peace talks. (Aug. 26)

First round of peace talks was scheduled to start Monday

Israeli solders killed three Palestinians outside Jerusalem

Palestinian president calls on the U.S. to intervene

QALANDIA REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — A Palestinian official said planned peace talks with the Israelis scheduled for Monday have been called off following a deadly clash in the West Bank.

Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians Monday in clashes during an arrest raid in the West Bank outside Jerusalem. The violence came as Israel and the Palestinians were expected to begin rounds of peace talks, the first such meetings in five years.

The Palestinian official said the Palestinians decided to postpone Monday's meeting to protest the killings. He said the Palestinians are also upset about an Israeli announcement on Sunday pushing forward with new settlement construction in east Jerusalem.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

It was not immediately known when peace talks would resume.

Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement following the violence that the West Bank clash would have a "negative" impact on talks and called on the U.S. to intervene.

An official at a Ramallah hospital said the three died from gunshot wounds sustained in the nearby refugee camp of Qalandia. More than a dozen others were wounded, he said, speaking anonymously as he wasn't allowed to talk with the media.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah condemned the incident. "Such a crime proves the need for an urgent and effective international protection for our people," he said in a statement.

Israeli border police spokesman Shai Hakimi said officers were on a raid to apprehend a suspect when hundreds of Palestinians poured into the streets and hurled firebombs, concrete blocks and rocks at the officers.

He said officers used riot control munitions, a term that usually refers to rubber bullets and tear gas. He said police are investigating the incident.

The Israeli military said soldiers rushed to the scene after a different force came under attack. It said soldiers opened fire after they felt their lives were in "imminent danger."

"Large violent crowds such as this which significantly outnumber security forces leave no other choice but to resort to live fire in self-defense," military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said.

Hatim Khatib, whose brother Youssef was arrested in the raid, told the Associated Press that undercover troops dressed in civilian clothes arrived at their home at 4:30 a.m. looking for the brother.

"After half an hour we started hearing shooting from the soldiers inside our house, and then people started throwing stones at them," he said.

Youssef was arrested after he returned from morning prayers at 7 a.m., he said.

He said he didn't know why his brother was the only one arrested but said Youssef had spent time in Israeli jail for throwing rocks and was released three years ago. The Israeli military would not elaborate as to why he was wanted.