Two Israelis were injured when Palestinian resistance men opened fire at two cars near the internationally illegal Jewish settlement of Shilo, about nine miles north of Jerusalem, Israeli occupation army officials said. In the West Bank town of Nablus, Israeli occupation troops clashed with students at An-Najah University after closing the institution down, Palestinians said. Three students were slightly injured. The occupation army said a curfew had been imposed in the town but did not immediately comment on the university's closure. In the Gaza Strip, occupation army bulldozers destroyed two buildings that housed 16 Palestinians near the internationally illegal Jewish settlement of Netzarim, Palestinian security officials said. Israeli occupation army officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied houses were destroyed and said bulldozers had leveled farmland that resistance men had used to launch mortar shells at the nearby settlement.

ARAFAT SLAMS POWELL OVER CHOICE OF LEADERSHIP

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat meanwhile said Saturday that only the Palestinian people could determine their leaders, in response to comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that the Palestinians needed "a new and different leadership."

At the same time, Palestinian officials blamed U.S. support of Israel's military actions in Palestinian areas for preventing them from going ahead with elections planned for Jan. 20.

On Thursday, Powell said peace in the Middle East would require "from the Palestinians a new and different leadership, new institutions, and an end to terror and violence."

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo accused the U.S. administration of failing to pressure Israel to withdraw from Palestinian areas because elections could yield a renewed mandate for Arafat.

Israel has said it will not withdraw from the Palestinian areas while resistance groups threaten to continue their attacks against Israelis.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian students from the university of the northern West Bank town of Nablus, leaving their school, watch an Israeli army armoured personnel carrier imposing a curfew, Saturday Dec. 14, 2002. Minor clashes between demonstrators and Israeli forces took place in this West Bank's largest city. (AP Photo/Nasser I