Palestine ask for protection force

JERUSALEM (AP) - The Palestinians pressed for an international protection force despite U.S. objections as new clashes erupted in the West Bank and Gaza Strip yesterday. A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire.

A second Palestinian died yesterday of injuries sustained last week. The two deaths bring to 175 the number of people killed in Israeli-Palestinian fighting since Sept. 28. Most of the victims have been Palestinian.

Israel's navy said a suicide bomber apparently was aboard a fishing boat that exploded overnight near an Israeli patrol boat off the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli vessel was not damaged. The fishing boat came from Egypt but the assailant apparently was Palestinian, an Israeli security source said on condition of anonymity.

Also yesterday, Israel permitted Gaza International Airport to reopen during daylight hours. Two flights landed, including a German military plane taking 23 Palestinians seriously wounded in recent clashes to Germany for treatment.

Israel had closed the airport shortly after Israeli-Palestinian fighting broke out and a bus carrying Israeli workers came under fire.