Mourners demand revenge at Palestinians' funeral

A crowd estimated at 30,000 gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah today for the funeral of four Palestinian security officers…

A crowd estimated at 30,000 gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah today for the funeral of four Palestinian security officers killed by Israeli soldiers.

Angry mourners shot into the air and shouted for revenge.

The four being buried were among the 13 Palestinians killed during an Israeli army incursion, which saw the town almost completely occupied over the past three days.

The Israeli army announced today it had pulled out of Ramallah, as well as from other towns in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, after rolling in as part of Israel's largest military operation in the West Bank or Gaza Strip since 1967.

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The withdrawal came after US pressure on the army to end its occupation of Ramallah with the arrival of US peace envoy Mr Anthony Zinni in Israel.

In the West Bank town of Bethlehem - thousands of angry mourners, many waving Palestinian flags - attended the funeral of Ahmad Noman (37) the director of a hospital in nearby Al-Khader.

He was killed a week ago by machinegun fire from an Israeli tank outside Bethlehem as he was bringing in medical supplies in his car.

Palestinian security sources said he had received permission from the Israelis to make the journey when he was shot.

AFP