Four Palestinian schoolchildren were wounded by Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank village of Beit Furiq, medical sources said. Soldiers responded to stone-throwing from students near two schools by firing rubber-coated bullets and tear gas grenades, the sources said. The two schools were evacuated after the clashes broke out. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, criticised Israel's decision to remove four unauthorised settlement outposts, saying the move was a publicity stunt that falls below the requirements of a US-backed peace "road map". "I think the world is sick and tired of these public relations stunts - Israelis moving a caravan here and a caravan there," Palestinian Negotiating Minister Saeb Erekat said in Ramallah. Two members of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet said the Israeli government was moving too slowly in carrying out a commitment to remove dozens of unauthorised settlement outposts from occupied territory. Meanwhile, Syria has renewed its call for making the Middle East free of all weapons of mass destruction, saying Israel's alleged arms arsenal poses a threat to world peace. The fresh call came ahead of a Security Council meeting early today to discuss a Syrian proposal for declaring the region free of all nuclear weapons. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Israeli tank advancing down a street in the West Bank town of Nablus, Thursday Dec. 25, 2003. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)