RAMALLAH, Feb 15: Hundreds of angry Palestinians hurled stones on Friday at the offices here of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, demanding an end to “repression” and the release of prisoners.

The demonstrators, saying they belonged to the radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), as well as Hamas, were kept back by a cordon of riot police in full gear.

The were shouting “free our prisoners”, “the Palestinian Authority imprisons us” and “stop the repression”.

Demonstrators threw not only stones, but sticks, bottles and batteries, at the entrance to the building, which was also protected by plain-clothes police.

Arafat has effectively been under house arrest since Dec 3 in retaliation for two suicide bombings in Israel, his offices encircled at close range by Israeli tanks.

When the demonstrators were rebuffed by the police, they turned their wrath on the Israeli positions only a few dozen metres away.

The Israelis responded by firing rubber bullets and teargas grenades, which caused several light injuries among the Palestinians.

Israel has kept Arafat penned up until he cracks down on Palestinian guerillas to the Jewish state’s satisfaction. The major demand has been for Arafat to round up those responsible for the assassination of Israel’s tourism minister in October.

Demonstrations have become increasingly frequent since the Palestinian Authority began making arrests, in particular of Ahmad Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, on Jan 15.

Saadat is accused by Israel of having organized the minister’s assassination.

BLOCKADE: France and Russia on Friday urged Israel to lift its blockade around Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s headquarters, in a joint statement during a visit to Paris by the Russian Foreign Minister.