February 26, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 18, 1429

BEIT HANUN (Gaza Strip), Feb 25: Palestinians formed a human chain in the Gaza Strip on Monday in protest at a crushing Israeli blockade, with Israeli forces on alert for any rush on the border.

Under a light late-morning rain, thousands of schoolchildren were joined by adults along Salaheddin Road, the main highway traversing the centre of the impoverished coastal strip, an AFP correspondent witnessed.

Slogans such as “The Siege of Gaza Will Only Strengthen Us”, “The World Has Condemned Gaza to Death” and “Save Gaza” were among banners brandished by demonstrators, who gathered peacefully.

As the demonstrators dispersed a few hours later, a small group of youths set fire to a tyre a few dozen metres (yards) from the Israeli army position at the Erez crossing and began throwing stones.

The incident drew fire from Israeli soldiers, and two of the youths were wounded, medical sources said.

At the same time, the army said it had arrested “around 50” Palestinians who had approached the crossing.

The Popular Committee Against the Siege, a politically independent group headed by Jamal al-Khudari, an MP with close links to the Hamas movement, had called for the demonstration against the months-long siege.

“This is a peaceful and civilised act to let the people express their rejection of the siege and of collective punishment,” Khudari told journalists.

“We are raising a cry to the world for it to act.” Hamas backed the demonstration.

“This is a message addressed to the international community and to the Israeli occupation, and I hope it will seize the opportunity to lift the siege,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said.

Hamas MP Ismail al-Ashqar warned that if this does not happen “there will be a hurricane that will flood the whole region.” Israel has sealed the territory to all in a bid to pressure the Hamas group to halt rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel by its own militants and others.

Huzeifa al-Masri, 14, said he and his classmates from the northern border town of Beit Hanun attended the protest because “there is hardly any food, and the Israeli incursions are frequent. We want to live in security like the rest of the world.” Most of Gaza’s 1.5 million population depends on foreign aid.

“Israel will not intervene in demonstrations inside the Gaza Strip but it will ensure the defence of its territory and prevent any violation of its ‘sovereign borders’,” said a joint statement from Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.—AFP