Samaritans clash with Palestinian Authority

NABLUS [MENL] -- The PA has urged calm in the wake of growing tensions between members of the tiny ancient Samaritan sect living on Mount Gerizim and their neighboring Palestinians.

Following a violent demonstration last week over the PA's intention to erect a cellular phone transmitter tower above their mountaintop village, the Samaritans say they no longer expect fair treatment from PA Chairman Yasser Arafat.

PalTel technicians arrived last Wednesday to lay the infrastructure for the transmitter tower on land next to the village overlooking Nablus. Approximately 100 villagers arrived to protest the plan. Palestinian guard, Nasser el-Qineh assembled members of his family and a skirmish ensued in which several people were injured.

On Thursday morning, the el-Qineh clan punished the Samaritans by blocking access to Nablus. The 600 Samaritans in the comunity claim to be descendents of the biblical tribes of Israel. Community leaders say the transmitter is a cause of cancer and an eyesore and they want it removed. By not removing it, they say, Arafat is not abiding by his pledge to take care of minorities.

Palestinian leaders urged calm, and said they regarded the Samaritans, who are represented by a legislator on the Palestinian Legislative Council, as equals.

"They have the same rights as I have," said Saeb Erekat, Palestinian minister of local affairs.