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Israel kills protesters at Syria border

MAJDAL SHAMS, Syria, June 5 (UPI) -- Israeli troops killed at least six Palestinian protesters Sunday and wounded 100 who tried to breach the Syria-Israel border, Syria said.

Hundreds of Palestinians observing the anniversary of the Six-Day War gathered on the Syrian side of the fence near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in that 1967 conflict.

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The Syrian news agency SANA cited casualty figures from the head of a hospital in the border town of Quneitra.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told The New York Times the protesters ignored warning shots in the air and the troops were "left with no choice" but to fire at their feet.

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas at Palestinian youths who tried to march on the Qalandia checkpoint, the gateway between Ramallah and Jerusalem. Palestinians also marched on the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, Ynetnews reported.

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas soldiers stopped a march on the Erez checkpoint.

In Lebanon, the army prevented a march on the Israeli border, The Daily Star of Beirut reported.

Israeli forces were on high alert for the protests and Israel had issued a stern warning that it would protect its sovereignty at all costs.

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During a protest of the creation of the state of Israel last month, 14 Palestinians from Lebanon and Syria were killed, some after they breached the border between Syria and Israel.

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