RAMALLAH, West Bank ? Yasser Arafat told hundreds of supporters Saturday that a United Nations vote condemning an Israeli decision to remove him was of the “utmost importance” as a sign of international support for the Palestinians.

Israel dismissed the U.N. General Assembly resolution, which passed 133-4 with 15 abstentions Friday, and said the Palestinians should focus their energy on fighting terrorism. Israel also insisted that a new government being formed by incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ahdmed Qureia cut links to Arafat. Israel says Arafat is tainted by terrorism.

In Tel Aviv, several thousand Israelis marched to the Defense Ministry, protesting their government’s tough policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and calling for an end to occupation. In the past three years of fighting against Palestinian militants, Israeli troops have reoccupied most West Bank towns, enforced stringent travel bans on civilians and carried out frequent arrest raids.

However, Israeli public opinion has shifted since peace talks collapsed in 2000, and polls suggest most now support the government’s policies.

Also Saturday, two Palestinian gunmen were killed in the West Bank town of Tulkarem in clashes between rival factions of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, an armed group linked to Arafat’s Fatah movement, Palestinian security officials said.

In clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians near Nablus, a 15-year-old boy was seriously wounded by gunfire and a 12-year-old boy was hit by rubber bullets, hospital officials and witnesses said. The army said soldiers had come under fire while on patrol and had stones and firebombs thrown at them.

At Arafat’s West Bank compound, hundreds of Palestinians chanted “Bush, Bush, you’re the failure,” after President Bush said earlier this week that Arafat had failed as a leader.

Addressing the crowd, Arafat praised the 133 nations that endorsed the resolution in the U.N. General Assembly demanding that Israel retract its threats to “remove” Arafat.

“This decision is of the utmost importance, we thank all the countries of the world that voted in favor,” Arafat said. The resolution “shows the international community … stands by the Palestinian people, who have lived under this occupation that does not respect any laws.”

About 2,000 people also marched in the West Bank town of Hebron on Saturday, carrying Palestinian flags and banners that read “Arafat is our hero” and “Arafat is our leader.”

Reacting to the resolution, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Once again, the Palestinians have decided to focus their energies on rhetoric instead of fighting terrorism.”

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat flashes the victory sign with Mahmoud Jaradat, 6, during a meeting with supporters at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Israel dismissed a U.N. resolution Saturday demanding it retract threats to remove Arafat. The Palestinian leader hailed the vote, calling it an important sign of support for the Palestinians.