You know," he said, "to see soldiers all the time around Palestinian neighborhoods.

But two months after liberation, there are still long lines at checkpoints into Palestinian neighborhoods.

Palestinian officials said the shooting started when Israeli forces pushed into a Palestinian neighborhood and opened fire on a house.

But policemen came upon them and were immediately suspicious about finding Jewish men in a Palestinian neighborhood at that hour.

Palestinians demanded that Israel stop building the barrier and said its route divided Palestinian neighborhoods from one another.

The road between the two communities goes through heavily populated Palestinian neighborhoods.

The closest Palestinian neighborhood is several miles away.

While street demonstrations were limited, various Palestinian neighborhoods sought to show their resolve by continuing a general strike.

Mr. Sabah said that the police are going out of their way to protect Palestinian neighborhoods from crime.

When food and gas shortages were at their worst, the only stores open were said to have been in Palestinian neighborhoods.