(Reuters) – The United States said on Monday that Syria was “clearly” behind lethal confrontations between Israeli troops and Palestinian protesters along the once-quiet ceasefire line between the two countries and that Israel has a right to defend itself.

“This is clearly an attempt by Syria to incite these kinds of protests,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, saying Damascus hoped to divert attention from its own internal problems. “Israel, like any sovereign nation, has a right to defend itself.”

(Reporting by Andrew Quinn ; Editing by Will Dunham )

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/06/palestinians-israel-usa-urgent-idUSW1E7GV00E20110606