Clashes erupt as Palestinians mark Nakba

Fierce confrontations erupted Sunday between Palestinians and Israeli forces at rallies to commemorate Nakba Day.

Palestinians gathered to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, when the state of Israel was created and Israeli troops forced 760,000 Palestinians out of their homes.

Demonstrators gathered at the northern entrance to Birzeit University north of Ramallah, setting fire to used tires and throwing stones at Israeli troops stationed at Atarah checkpoint.

Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets, tear-gas canisters and stun grenades at protesters. Several demonstrators fainted after choking on the gas.

Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out at Qalandiya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem as Palestinian youngsters hurled stones, and troops responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

At least five Palestinians were injured, one of whom was hit in the head by rubber bullets, medical sources told AFP.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said there were "around 200 people who were engaged in rioting" with border police using riot dispersal means to try and break up the disturbance.

Clashes were also reported in the East Jerusalem district of Issawiya, with youths throwing stones and hurling Molotov cocktails, police said.

"Stones were thrown at police. Three people were arrested and one police officer was slightly injured," Rosenfeld said.

And in Al-Walaja, a village which straddles the Bethlehem-Jerusalem border, around 150 people staged a demonstration, waving black flags and Palestinian flags, shouting: "Go away, go away! We don't want to see the Zionists," an AFP correspondent said.

In northern Gaza, several dozen Palestinian youngsters marched from Beit Hanoun towards the Israeli border and began throwing stones at an Israeli tank, which opened fire towards them.

Medics told that at least 45 demonstrators were injured by artillery shells and gunfire as they approached the Erez crossing with Israel.

The injured were mostly children, and some were critically injured, medical officials said. One journalist was also injured.

They were taken by ambulances to hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip.