Palestinians protest at Powell tour

Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip took to the streets today, telling US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell to go home…

Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip took to the streets today, telling US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell to go home and burning his picture.

While Mr Powell met Palestinian President Mr Yasser Arafat in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Palestinians in Gaza, including members of militant groups, vowed to continue a five-month-old uprising against Israeli occupation.

"Colin Powell go home, your solutions will not intimidate us," they shouted.

Shortly after the Powell-Arafat meeting ended, a Jewish settler was shot in the head by Palestinians who opened fire on his car in the West Bank.

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In Gaza, demonstrators poured gasoline on US and Israeli flags and a picture of Mr Powell and set them on fire.

Mr Powell, on a Middle East tour, went to Ramallah, about 13 kmnorth of Jerusalem, after holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister-elect Mr Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem.

Palestinian police closed off roads, preventing many people from reaching the area where Mr Powell and Mr Arafat met. But as the secretary of state's motorcade left town, a handful of Palestinians waved pictures of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.