The BBC's Jeremy Bowen: "A nasty crisis is brewing"

A wave of protest erupted as the Palestinians rejected fresh Israeli conditions for implementing the Wye River agreement.

Israeli soldiers fired scores of rubber-tipped metal bullets as stone throwing Palestinians took to the streets in Bethelhem and Al-Bireh.. Clashes went on all afternoon and seven people were arrested.

Israel has suspended its troop withdrawals from the West Bank and says it will not resume them until the Palestinians withdraw their threat to declare their own state and accept Israeli terms for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The Palestinians were protesting against Israel's refusal to include 2,400 political detainees amongst promised prisoner releases.

Protesters at Hebron University on Saturday

There were marches across the West Bank in support of Palestinian prisoners who have started a mass hunger strike in Israeli jails.

An attack by Palestinians on an Israeli car last Wednesday has strengthened Israel's resolve not to release prisoners who it says have blood on their hands.

The Israelis say Palestinian leaders are inciting violence. The Palestinians say it would not happen if Israel kept to its part of the peace process.

Clinton visit

The two sides are supposed to be preparing for what they both say would be an historic visit by US President Bill Clinton on 12 December.

BBC Middle East Correspondent Jeremy Bowen said the White House is watching the situation and may cancel the visit.

Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was reported to have renewed his call for a Palestinian state to be declared by May next year, saying there could be no lasting peace without its existence.

But he was not said to have repeated previous pledges to unilaterally declare a state by 4 May. He instead urged an agreement with Israel on Palestinian independence.

Mr Arafat was in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to mark the 10th anniversary of his declaration there recognising Israel's right to exist.

Mr Arafat was scheduled to have gone on to Norway on Sunday, but the Norwegian foreign ministry said he had cancelled the visit because of the situation in the West Bank.

Earlier, the Palestinians announced that the Palestinian Central Council would meet next Thursday to confirm a pledge that the Palestinians no longer seek Israel's destruction.