An Australian peace activist receives treatment at a hospital after being injured when Israeli soldiers opened fire at a demonstration of international peace activists, in the West Bank town of Beit Jala near Bethlehem, April 1, 2002. REUTERS/Magnus Johansson

About 100 demonstrators, Palestinian and foreign, were marching through the center of the West Bank town of Beit Jala behind a sign saying "We want peace not war," witnesses said.

As they approached an Israeli armored personnel carrier, a soldier in the carrier fired several shots from a rifle into the street in front of them, sending up chips of concrete, television footage showed.

Health officials said a Palestinian and seven foreigners were hurt. They included two Americans, two Britons, and one each from Australia, Japan and France.

The Palestinian, who was wounded in the leg, was a cameraman covering the march for the Associated Press, colleagues said.

An Israeli soldier stops a TV cameraman filming a demonstration of international peace activists in the West Bank town of Beit Jala near Bethlehem, April 1, 2002. Five foreign peace marchers and a Palestinian television cameraman were injured by shrapnel when Israeli soldiers fired at their feet, witnesses said. Firing started when about 100 demonstrators, including Palestinians and foreigners, marched near a church carrying a sign saying "We want peace not war", they said. REUTERS/Magnus Johansson

An Israeli soldier also kicked and pushed a Reuters cameraman and fired one shot over his head while covering the demonstration. He was unhurt.

Reuters lodged a complaint with the army over the incident.

The director of Beit Jala hospital, Peter Qumri, said one woman was undergoing surgery to remove shrapnel from her abdomen and was in a satisfactory condition.

A witness from Beit Jala, who gave his name only as Fouad, said: "We were just marching in front of the tank and far away from our position they began to shoot live ammunition on the international (demonstrators).

"The marchers raised their hands in a peaceful way and they started shooting immediately," he said. "Six or seven people were brought to the hospital."

The Israeli army said it was checking the report.

Groups of foreign peace activists are in the West Bank to show solidarity with Palestinians after Israeli forces sent troops and tanks Friday to besiege Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the city of Ramallah.

The army said earlier Monday that troops had stopped 50 foreigners, mostly Italians, from entering Ramallah, where they had planned to join others who reached Arafat's office Sunday.

The group, calling itself Grassroots International Protection for the Palestinian People, wants to shield Arafat from Israeli troops who have taken over most of his compound.

Israeli police said the army had handed over 10 French nationals to their custody pending their expulsion from Israel.

Copyright 2002 Reuters Ltd

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