Israeli soldiers killed two young Palestinian demonstrators, transfer of West Bank towns to local control was halted and a Palestinian security chief said militants will not be disarmed -- signs that a three-month truce might be coming unraveled.
Palestinian security officials said youths were throwing rocks after nightfall Wednesday at troops guarding the separation barrier Israel is building near the village of Beit Lakia, and the soldiers opened fire, killing two 17-year-old cousins.
Israeli military officials said about 300 Palestinians threw rocks and iron bars at soldiers, who fired warning shots in the air before shooting at the Palestinians. Demonstrations by Palestinians and Israeli sympathizers at barrier construction sites are a daily occurrence. Palestinians call the barrier an "apartheid wall" and complain that it cuts into the West Bank. Israel says it's needed to stop suicide bombers and other infiltrators.
The Palestinian Authority issued a statement calling the killing a violation of the ceasefire. The truce has considerably reduced violence, but incidents have been increasing steadily in recent weeks.
The truce trouble came as Palestinians in key locations like Hebron in the West Bank and Rafah in Gaza were to go to the polls Thursday to elect local leaders, balloting that could give indications of trends in advance of parliamentary elections, set for July 17.
Under terms of the ceasefire, declared Feb. 8 at a gala summit in an Egyptian resort, both sides were to halt violence, Israel would transfer five West Bank towns to Palestinian security control and free 900 prisoners, and Palestinian security would disarm fugitive militants in the towns reverting to its control.
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